Research Articles Digest

Effective Teamwork in Organizations

2012-07-20T09:57:00.003+05:00

Organizational structures are designed to enhance productivity, provide a flow of information and are deliberately set to work in the most effective and efficient manner as suited to the industry the organization is in. As the world moves towards globalization and rapid information sharing, the need for collaboration, innovation and flexibility within the organizational structure is increasing (Mealiea & Baltazar, pg141, 2005). One of the ways top management is rising up to meet these challenges is to promote team building and team work within organizations so that the individual skills and abilities of the employees can be tapped into simultaneously and result in more creative and faster solutions. A cohesive team with a clear strategy is one of the most important assets for any organization towards achieving their goals and introduces the process of ‘synergy’ in the work environment.

Current literature all support the idea of flexible project based organizations as the most effective units in today’s world. These organizations can respond rapidly to changing external factors and crisis situations by forming semi autonomous problem solving teams which can combine the expertise and skills necessary to deal with the risk laden and uncertain environment (Lam, pg17-19, 2004). A team based structure can be configured to take the advantage of the employees’ unique abilities to generate new ideas and foster innovation- two very important things required for the survival of any organization. It also allows for a more adaptive work environment which is more effective under rapid changes.

Increasingly it can be seen that workers in the UK and the Eastern Europe don’t work in isolation any more, even in organization where formal teams are not constructed informal teams build up around a project or objective. These people share similar goals and working together it is possible to achieve better and faster results. But for most organizations teams are deliberately structured to facilitate collaboration and productivity; these teams can be cross functional teams, functional work teams, project teams, self managed teams or even management teams. Factors such as the degree of autonomy each individual member has, decision authority, shared or traditional leadership, structural support and responsibility are assigned according to the requirements and work nature of each team and can differ greatly. The important thing is to make sure that all members of a team recognize and accept these factors and together the characteristics of the team should contribute towards the end goal.

Often team building efforts are not as successful as the management would have hoped. Team clashes often occur because of mismatched personalities, uncertainty about assigned roles or a lock of clear direction. One of the main reasons for the failure of team building efforts is a lack of understanding about the correct team structure and requirements. Teams are sometimes designed with the help of outside expertise- in the UK itself, a number of firms offer organizations the chance to hire experts who would conduct team building exercises and determine the team structures – however, these outsiders are often unaware of the intricate networks which exist within offices and play out because of social interactions and may propose team solution which in the long run will not be productive within the organizational culture. The correct person to determine the nature of the teams should be the manager who is informed about the individual employees and can match up the right personalities for the right kind of goals. The manager will also be able to assess personal goals with regards to organizational goals and allow for team objectives which have increased job involvement and job satisfaction for those involved- leading to high motivation.

In designing the team the manager can follow some set guidelines in forming the most effective team. The first step has to be an assessment of the team characteristics which would lead to success. “Behavioral scientists argue that the success of team-building efforts is a function of the number of desirable team characteristics that can be built into a work environment”(Mealiea & Baltazar, pg142, 2005). An insightful manager can decide the interpersonal and technical skills required within the team, the amount of power distribution, teams’ level in organization and the tasks to be performed. Assigning the supporting characteristics of the team provides the necessary formal structure for the people involved and the increases chances of success. The second step is to identify the people who will be well suited to the decided team dynamics and recruit them for the team. The manager may use his own knowledge of employee personalities, attitudes and needs along with interviews or informal talks to decide whether a candidate will prove to be a productive team member. After the team profile has been made, what remains to be seen is what kind of deficiencies exists in the team characteristics and how they may be changed.

An effective management realizes that any initial team building effort will result in a team which is far from ideal. The next step after the team has been formed is to identify the strategies required for the team deficiencies to be removed. These problems may range from a lack of a clear direction, unavailability of required resources, communication and trust problems within the team or even rivalry between individual members. A good technique would be schedule periodic feedback sessions to review the performance of the team with regards to set objectives and allow open communication to air out concerns and take suggestions. Formal training sessions, coaching and strong leadership can overcome some of these problems and maintaining specific milestones with appropriate rewards will keep the team working in the right direction. The important thing to remember is that the team dynamics would differ with each task and each organization and the problems which arise have to be dealt on a case by case basis, though feedback and open communication will always help in identifying those and lead towards solutions.

When talking about the modern organization we have to give consideration to the technological aspects of the structure as well. Virtual teams are becoming ever more popular as the communication technology keeps advancing and employers see the advantages of allowing flexible work timings and schedules for their employees. In the UK as in the rest of the world, many workers are opting for the option of working from home and collaborating using intranets and internets to collaborate with their peers. Similarly the trend of outsourcing, offshoring and nearshoring is on the rise with 57% of UK organizations taking part in these practices in 2007 (up from 47% the year before). According to Phil Morris, managing director of EquaTerra for Europe, "this is all being driven by technology, the speed of processors and telecommunications, together with cleverer application interfaces and graphical user interfaces" (Heath, 2008). Web 3.0 allows virtual collaboration and team work through tools like IM, email, shared documents, video conferences and video calls- two employees on the far ends of the world can work on online project together while getting constant input from their supervisor.

The advantages of having virtual workers are many; they open up a global source of expertise for organizations, cuts down on overhead costs and allow greater job satisfaction for the employees- in UK telecommuters made up 8% of the workforce at the beginning of the millennium. However, productive virtual teams are much different in nature than physical teams and come with their own problems along than the traditional ones discussed before. The main problem is that there can be no direct supervision, without face to face communication it can be hard to gauge the motivation level of employees and whether they are working efficiently. The lack of a physical meeting space also means that interpersonal bonds may be difficult to form leading to lower trust and interdependence. From the employees side there may be problems like lack of recognition or unfair work load which cannot be easily delegated.

Managing virtual teams is a completely different area of expertise for managers, even with the technological advances taking place there is still some time before an effective and proven way of managing virtual teamwork emerges. While no one can deny the importance of these teams, trial and error along with intuition is still the best way to gauge their long term performance in an organization.

Organizations are better off when they adopt a team based structure. In an era of globalization and rapid change, organizations need to be flexible, innovative and should allow a culture of creativity and cooperation. Teams provide a formal structure and work space to merge the skills of the employees in a productive direction. While effective teamwork is not always easy to ensure due to the personalities of individual members or any other conflicting group dynamics, if they are carefully supervised and supported, teams can provide better solutions to organizational problems. Technology has ushered in a new era of work practices and introduced different formats of teams enabled by internet connectivity but existing without any physical support. These teams are the future of the modern workplace work and despite the concerns about effective management smart organizations will take advantage of these in order to ensure their survival.

Biliography

Mealiea, L. & Baltazar, R., 2005. A Strategic Guide for Building Effective Teams. Public Personnel Management Volume 34 No. 2 Summer 2005, pg141-156.

Lam, A., 2004. Organizational innovation. BRESE, School of Business and Management

Brunel University Uxbridge, West London, working paper 1, pg 4-20. Available at: < http://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/11539/1/BRESE_org_innovation_Lam_WP1.pdf>

Heath, N., 2008. India top destination for UK outsourcing. ZDNet. Available from: < http://www.zdnet.co.uk/news/it-strategy/2008/01/14/india-top-destination-for-uk-outsourcing-39292109/>

Pohlman, P., 2002. Team Building: Major Issues Facing Teams. Poynter. Available at: <http://www.poynter.org/uncategorized/1831/team-building-major-issues-facing-teams/>

Distefano, J. 2000. Creating Value with diverse teams. Organizational dynamics, vol. 29, no.1.

Seimens, press release. Siemens unveils Senior Management team for Building Technologies division in the UK. Available from :< http://www.siemens.co.uk/en/news_press/index/news_archive/building-technologies-management-team.htm>

Team Trainers, 2011. Scientists’ Review Raises Problems with Team Building. Available at:< http://suddenteams.com/teams-blog/scientists-review-raises-problems-team-building>

Kjerulf, A., 2007. The top 5 reasons why team building events are a waste of time. The chief happiness officer. Available at:< http://positivesharing.com/2007/10/the-top-5-problems-with-corporate-team-building/>

Robbins, P.S & Judge, T.A., 2011. Organizational Behaviour. 13th Ed.

Management library, 2012. Group Dynamics: Basic Nature of Groups and How They Develop. Available at: < http://managementhelp.org/groups/dynamics-theories.htm>

LEONARDO DA VINCI

2012-07-20T09:50:00.004+05:00

Introduction

Art is an important phenomenon, which excites people and plays various important roles. This paper introduces Leonardo Da Vinci, who is a famous painter. In addition, the paper covers the life of Da Vinci and some of his famous pieces. Finally, the paper presents the characteristics of these pieces of art by Leonardo Da Vinci.

Leonardo Da Vinci’s Life

Interestingly, this great artist was illegitimately born to Piero and Caterina da Vinci at three in the morning of 15-4-1452. Leonardo Da Vinci was closely linked with his mother from the time he was born to the time he was five. Verrocchio was the name of his teacher who trained Da Vinci in a Florentine studio until he began his art career. Leonardo was 14 years during his apprenticeship. He spent the following years in mastering what the world would later love and remember him. It is significant to mention that the establishment of Leonardo Da Vinci personal workshop at 20 years was commendable[1]. During his career, Leonardo Da Vinci experienced both pleasant moments in which many people admired him. However, throughout his art existence, Da Vinci equally experienced low moments in which his works were criticized[2].

For instance, Leonardo Da Vinci was lucky to get numerous rich clients because of the perfection of his works. Leonardo died, 67, as a vegetarian after a life of painting using most inspirations from his life. Leonardo Da Vinci’s highlight was when Lorenzo de Medici, an Italian rich man asked him to design a silver piece of art. The silver lyre which he initiated made him get more orders from this rich Italian man. Leonardo’s life focused on respect for nature because of his continuous habit to free birds in to their natural homes. Finally, Leonardo Da Vinci’s life had most celebrations because up to date people still have T-shirts and other sales materials, which have his paintings.

Most Famous Paintings

Evidently, “Vitruvian Man, The Last Supper and Mona Lisa “are the most popular paintings of Da Vinci. In particular, The Last Supper (painted on a rectory wall) began to deteriorate following its creation because Da Vinci did not use the tempera on panel technique. [3]The creation of the Last Supper was instantly when Jesus indicated that a disciple would be disloyal to Him. It is unfortunate that a majority of Leonardo Da Vinci works do not survive because of his deep sense of adventure with new technologies. However, even if the painting flaked, there was a recent remodeling of the same in order for people to enjoy viewing it. Moreover, The Mona Lisa is called half a smile because of Leonardo Da Vinci’s unique use of lightning in most of his paintings. In addition, Leonardo kept on postponing the completion of some of his pieces. Therefore, the available work could be perfect if he had more focus. It is also imperative to mention that his early work was called “The Baptism of Christ”, which he created with Verrocchio. All Leonardo Da Vinci’s renowned paintings display diverse aspects of movement unlike the remaining painters.

Characteristics of Leonardo Da Vinci’s Art

It is noteworthy to mention that Da Vinci’s works borrow a great deal of the human anatomy. Originally, The Mona Lisa was meant to be a private piece which took two years for the completion of its creation. This Mona Lisa painting is set on a significant light, which enables people to notice the uniqueness of the painting. The most obvious special characteristic about The Mona Lisa is Leonardo’s use of the smoke technique. Further, this smoke technique makes it hard for anyone to notice the difference between darkness and lightness in the picture. The liquid paint, which Leonardo uses, depicts his understanding of the world to be always in movement[4]. Additionally, the painting of Mona Lisa is unique because of the unique half smile presented by Leonardo. The face of the woman in the painting is straight to the viewer. However, the rest of her body faces the direct opposite from where Mona Lisa faces. Leonardo includes some aspects of nature in the background of this well-liked picture because of his love for nature. For instance, Leonardo Da Vinci paints rivers and rocks in a manner that makes Mona Lisa’s smile out stand out further. In addition, one cannot tell where the dress, which Mona Lisa wears, begins or ends. Therefore, this is another unique feature of Leonardo’s Mona Lisa[5].

The painting of The Last Supper is characteristic of an extremely emotional picture, which was for a certain monastery in Santa Maria. In this painting, Leonardo Da Vinci captures respective emotions of the twelve Disciples of Christ. In an elaboration of this Last Supper piece, Leonardo depicts that the display of individual emotions is called “motions of the mind”[6]. Additionally, this painting of The Last Supper has a significant order in the sense that everyone who is represented in the painting seems to play its role. There is a unique that Leonardo Da Vinci portrays the Head of Christ. Consequently, the uniqueness of the painting comes from the special attention he gives this head of Christ[7]. Apart from making the head to be central, Leonardo also ensures that the head meets the horizon in the picture. Da Vinci paints the twelve Disciples in three clusters of four, which could be symbolic of their historical calls to serve with Christ. Like the great artist that he is, Leonardo sets Judas apart from the rest of the disciples in the most artistic manner ever[8]. Leonardo introduces a significant kind of shade on the face of Judas in order to make him more visible.

Conclusion

It is evident that Davinci was a great painter. Therefore, there needs to be continuation of his work through diverse ways. For example, the creation of art schools across the globe would lead to the continuation of his work[9]. In addition, any individuals who display such talents as Leonardo’s must undergo professional art training so that there is creation of more beautiful art.

Bibliography

Cremante, Simona, and Carlo Pedretti. 2005. Leonardo da Vinci: [artist, scientist, inventor]. Firenze: Giunti

Kalz, Jill. 2003. The Mona Lisa. North Mankato, MN.: Creative Education.

Leonardo, Jean Paul Richter, and R. C. Bell. 1970. The notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci. vol. 1. New York: Dover Publications.

O'Connor, Barbara. 2003. Leonardo da Vinci: Renaissance genius. Minneapolis: Carolrhoda Books.

Malam, John. 1999. Leonardo da Vinci. Minneapolis, Mn: Carolrhoda Books.

Stanley, Diane. 1996. Leonardo da Vinci. New York: Morrow Junior Books

Witteman, Barbara. 2008. Leonardo Da Vinci. Mankato, Minn: Capstone.

Zöllner, Frank, and Leonardo. 2006. Léonard de Vinci, 1452-1519. Köln: Taschen

[1] Leonardo, Jean Paul Richter, and R. C. Bell. The notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci. vol. 1. (New York: Dover Publications, 1970) 1.

[2] Zöllner, Frank, and Leonardo. 2006. Léonard de Vinci, 1452-1519. (Köln: Taschen, 2006) 4

[3] Stanley, Diane. Leonardo da Vinci. (New York: Morrow Junior Books, 1996) 1

[4] Cremante, Simona, and Carlo Pedretti. 2005. Leonardo da Vinci: [artist, scientist, inventor].( Firenze: Giunti, 2005) 56

[5] Stanley, Diane. Leonardo da Vinci. (New York: Morrow Junior Books, 1996) 21

[6] Kalz, Jill. The Mona Lisa. (North Mankato, MN.: Creative Education, 2003) 34

[7] O'Connor, Barbara. Leonardo da Vinci: Renaissance genius. (Minneapolis: Carolrhoda Books, 2003) 12

[8] Witteman, Barbara. Leonardo Da Vinci. (Mankato, Minn: Capstone, 2008) 11

[9] Malam, John. Leonardo da Vinci. (Minneapolis, Mn: Carolrhoda Books, 1999) 21

Thomas Jefferson's View on Slavery

2012-07-20T09:43:00.003+05:00

Thomas Jefferson was the third American president. His term lasted from 1801 to 1809. Born in 1743, he grew up in Virginia at a period when slavery had existed for almost 75 years. Jefferson grew up in a plantation in Virginia with enslaved workers. As an adult, he owned slaves. Although he owned slaves, Jefferson opposed slavery. His views on slavery remain contradicted since at one point he considered blacks inferior to other races while at the same time calling for an end to slavery. Historians have always debated on the contradictions between his words and actions relating to the issue of slavery. In his life, Jefferson appears to have contradicted his writing, views, deeds and thoughts on the issue of slavery (Bernstein 56).

Jefferson as an opponent against slavery

As a young legislator and president, Jefferson took actions that he thought would aid in ending slavery. As a young legislator in Virginia, he had tried to advocate the private land owners to free their slaves. This was, however, unsuccessful as private land owners viewed this as a way towards economic downfall. They used slaves as cheap labor in their plantations and thus, if they had supported Jefferson in his advocacy for slavery end, they would have suffered economically. Although he failed in his advocacy for slavery abolishment by private land owners, Jefferson later returned to draft a bill barring freed blacks from staying in Virginia. He drafted a Virginia law prohibiting the importation of enslaved blacks into the state (Zinn 120). He was successful in the passage of this bill. Nevertheless, it is viewed that the private land owners in his state passed the bill to raise the price of slaves who were already their captives. In 1784, Jefferson forwarded a proposal to ban slavery in the newly created territories of the northwest. As the principal author of the land ordinance of 1784, he called for an end to slavery and involuntary servitude in these territories. Jefferson wanted a line to be drawn depicting the north and south at which slavery should not be extended westwards of the impassable line. This bill, however, was defeated by a single vote. Jefferson also proposed in the mid 1770s for a means through which those born into slavery could be freed. He referred to this as gradual emancipation by which after a certain date, those who were born into slavery became freed. In his advocacy for gradual emancipation of slaves, Jefferson wanted slaves to be resettled out of the United States, or they be returned to Africa (Spahn 65). He believed that once slaves were freed, the oppression they had suffered under their masters would breed hatred for their masters. He saw to it that the slaves would instigate violence on their former masters. It is in this thought that he believed the best plan would be to resettle slaves out of America. These actions show the efforts by Jefferson, while still a legislator, to end and stop slavery at the time. As president, in 1807, Jefferson signed an act which prohibited importation of slaves. This act helped to outlaw international slave trade in the United States although it took effect almost a year later. Jefferson was also the chief author of the declaration of independence in which he strongly argued against slavery (Zinn 49). Through the declaration of independence, he noted that slavery opposed nature which calls for every human being to be treated and respected equally. He called the institution to be immoral and not just. In his first draft of the declaration, he noted that every man was equal, and slavery did not replicate this but only caused oppression and death to those held captive. These statements represent Jefferson’s stance on slavery which he opposed.

Thomas Jefferson’s views on slavery also became noted through his use of strong words in which he called for an end to the institution. Through his writing and correspondence with political and business associates, his strong words against slavery stood out. His views on slavery became apparent through his writings in which he called slavery as an abominable crime, a hideous blot and a fatal stain that impacted humanity negatively (Jefferson 132). Jefferson’s strong statements on slavery clearly underlined his views on slavery. His views indicated those of an individual who viewed slavery as a crime. Jefferson is remembered for his excellent writing and conversation skills with which he used to condemn the heinous act that was slavery. In the first draft of the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson strongly condemned Great Britain for its role and sponsorship of slavery. This passage on his views about slavery was deleted from the final document, but it clearly indicated his feelings and views towards slavery. Jefferson noted in the first draft that slavery had deprived slaves of their sacred rights to freedom and liberty. Britain, through its support of the transatlantic slave trade, had caused miserable pain and deaths of slaves, he noted. He claimed that slavery had brought horrors to humanity in his initial draft of the Declaration of Independence. This first draft of the Declaration of Independence ignited serious debate among delegates who had gathered in Philadelphia (Coglian 192). His writings on antislavery indicated the institution to be wrong and evil. He complained to his friends and business associates through writing on the immorality of slavery. Often through his writing, he would condemn them for failing to criticize the act of slavery or practicing free labor in their businesses. He viewed slavery as undemocratic and contradictory to the rule of nature. Jefferson’s views on slavery became influenced by the fact that he was extremely religious. He based his writings on religious foundations, which he believed opposed slavery. He believed that Christianity indicated that all human beings are to be equal and deserve equal opportunity as well as treatment. He also opposed slavery in his notes on Virginia. He noted that the act of slavery was demoralizing to both the captive and master.

Thomas Jefferson also acted by his own will later after his presidency to end slavery. As a slave holder, he freed some of his slaves. In his lifetime as a slave holder, he freed two slaves related to Betty Hemings in the 1790s. Through his will after his death, Jefferson freed two of Sally Heming’s children who still were his captives (Coglian 49). He freed another two slaves: children of Sally Hemings by letting them walk away to their freedom. According to his will, he indicated another three older slaves to be freed. These older slaves had already served him for years. These actions, although somewhat late in coming, indicate that Jefferson became clearly determined to end slavery as an individual. Jefferson never managed to free all of his slaves since he was in massive debt and the sale of his slaves was used to settle his debts. His lifestyle and family problems meant that he would remain tied to owning slaves. The prices of tobacco, which became low, meant that he also required slaves for his economic survival (Zinn 342). At the time, owning slaves meant that plantation and private land owners would receive cheap labor. In his quest to end slavery, Jefferson accorded better treatment to his slaves. He provided better accommodation to his slaves compared to what other slaves were provided with. Historical records reveal that Jefferson maintained records of the cost it took to feed, house and care all his slaves who worked at his plantation. He accorded his slaves paternalistic care since he believed that he was obligated to them, and they were dependent on him for their survival. Jefferson believed slaves were unable to take care of themselves, and they required paternal care. Jefferson was compassionate towards his slaves, which limited his income as he always felt they should be treated decently. This feeling of care, which he showed towards his slaves, indicates Jefferson as opposed to slavery. As an ambassador of the United States to France, Jefferson was accompanied by a few slaves including Sally Hemings and his brother James. Jefferson is reported to have had a longstanding relationship with Sally that bore him six children. His relationship with a slave signifies that he may have been open to equality and viewed slaves to be just like him. Marriage among slaves in the state of Virginia was illegal, but Jefferson encouraged the extension of familial bonds among his slaves (Spahn 101). This meant that many slave families remained intact and never became disoriented. This also shows that Jefferson did mind about the familial obligations slaves needed.

Contradictions regarding Jefferson’s view on slavery

Although Jefferson was against slavery, there are a few contradictions which arose due to the nature of his words and actions. Jefferson’s statements strongly rejected slavery as an institution, but he also is criticized for not doing enough to end slavery as a travesty. Critics argue that Jefferson, as a president, did not take enough political action to stop slavery (Coglian 189). Jefferson barely backed up his words with actions. He openly wrote against slavery but did not act in the same zeal to end slavery in his country and state.

Jefferson held slaves throughout his adult life. It is ironical for him to call for the freeing of slaves, yet he still possessed them. Although he advocated the freedom of slaves, Jefferson never freed all of his slaves (Zinn 186). He continued to own slaves even though he asked his political friends and business peers to free their slaves. Jefferson owned several hundred slaves at his Monticello home in Virginia. This becomes somewhat ironical and contradictory to his strong statements, which were clearly against the institution. His lifestyle, family problems and debts could not allow him to free his slaves who provided him with free labor. His death meant that his remaining slaves were to be sold to clear off his debts. These slaves became transferred to other masters and, in turn, continued to be enslaved. This action by Jefferson as an individual to not undertake any measures and free his own slaves indicates that he somehow was in support of the travesty. Furthermore, Jefferson had a relationship with a slave of his who bore him children. Jefferson never went public about this relationship and it may seem as though he might have been embarrassed about it. His handling of this relationship may indicate his distaste for slaves that he was not proud to exhibit the relationship.

In his writings to political and business friends, he protested on how slavery was immoral, but insisted that it had to continue. His chief concern was that in case slaves were freed, they would rise against their former oppressive masters (Kennedy 140). He insisted that freeing slaves would instigate violence in the south. He noted that the differences between slaves and their masters were so great that they could not coexist in the same environment should they get freed. His other concern was that economic survival in the south depended largely on free labor provided by slaves. These slaves worked in the large plantations owned by white masters. Jefferson had also noted that he felt African Americans were racially inferior and required paternal care (Jefferson 109). He, therefore, felt that it was upon the superior white race to take care of slaves, and thus the need for slavery to continue. After meeting a few freed, educated black slaves, his view on inferiority of the black race seemed to change. Jefferson in his writings contradicted himself since, on the one hand, he appears to claim slavery as immoral but, on the other hand, argues for it to continue. This contradiction begs the question as to whether Jefferson wast committed to abolishing slavery. He appears to be on a double edged sword as the end of slavery would have impacted negatively his personal, political and economic existence.

Questions also arise in regard to Jefferson’s silence and perceived inaction on slavery in the 1800s. His loud silence is viewed as that of a president who was not fully committed to ending slavery in his country. He appeared to take no public action against slavery in his state of Virginia or in his country. When slavery became presented as an issue of national concern, Jefferson simply dismissed it. In his purchase of Louisiana, Jefferson excluded the issue of slavery (Zinn 401). This was viewed as a way by him to try and maintain his support from the south and avoid the sectional conflict. Jefferson also made efforts to ban slavery in the newly acquired territories of the northwest, yet he failed to do the same in the south. His advocacy for slavery abolishment appears to have been prejudiced and not fair upon all the states in his country. Although Jefferson spoke vehemently on his plan to emancipate slaves to Africa, he never took any political action to oversee this. He only made proposals regarding emancipation of the slaves but clearly lacked the will in ensuring the process was reached and achieved. It is argued that Jefferson may have feared to undertake the process of emancipation. His fear sprung due to the fact that there occurred a violent uprising in Haiti (Coglian 203). The violence witnessed from slaves in Haiti may have made him to think twice about the repercussions of emancipation.

Conclusion

Thomas Jefferson is celebrated as an important figure in the history of United States. Not only was he the country’s third president, but also an accomplished writer, philosopher, architect and farmer. He was the chief author of the Declaration of Independence. Despite his other virtues, contradiction arises whenever his name is mentioned on his views of slavery. His statements reflect a man who was categorically opposed to slavery. He stated in his writings that he believed slavery to be immoral and an abominable crime which had to be abolished. Some of his deeds, though, reflect a man who was not entirely dedicated to ending slavery in his country or state. He personally owned slaves and, as president, went silent on the issue of slavery. He even contradicted himself in some of his correspondence to friends. He saw the black race as inferior to his own. He proclaimed that slaves required stewardship as they could not survive on their own. He did not want an end to slavery either since it would have meant a loss of free labor and economic downfall. He also feared for the safety of slave owners in case freed slaves ever decided to retaliate. Although he opposed slavery and viewed it as immoral, it is apparent that Thomas Jefferson’s views were a little twisted.

Works Cited

Bernstein, Richard B. Thomas Jefferson. Oxford: Oxford university press, 2005. Print.

Cogliano, Francis D. Thomas Jefferson: Reputation and Legacy. Vigirnia: University of Virginia

Press, 2008. Print.

Jefferson, Thomas. Notes on the State of Virginia. South Carolina: Forgotten Books, 2010. Print.

Kennedy, Walter Donald. Myths of American Slavery. Louisiana: Pelican Publishing, 2003. Print.

Spahn, Hannah. Thomas Jefferson, Time, and History. Virginia: University of Virginia Press,

2011. Print.

Zinn, Howard. A Peoples History of the United States. New York: HarperCollins, 2010. Print.

Comparing and Contrasting Jean Piaget and Erik Erikson Work on Child Psychology

2012-07-20T09:34:00.004+05:00

Introduction

Development psychology has undergone many changes since the beginning of the 20th century. Most early theorists influenced the field of psychology significantly. Notable theorist whose impact determines child psychology and early childhood education are Jean Piaget and Erik Erikson. This paper delves into the contribution of these two theorists in their study of various development stages, the differences and similarities in their theories and significance of these stages.

Jean Piaget’s Cognitive Development Theory

The theory proposed by Piaget focuses on the various stages of a child where transition from one stage to the other follows a sequence. He developed the stages with key ideas as his building blocks. It is necessary to look into the concepts that form the bases of his theory. Firstly is the issue of schemata that he conceptualized as the mental structure that represents the world. Through the learning process, children change their schemata by adapting, due to assimilation and accommodation. Assimilation adds new information to the existing schemata while adaptation modifies new information into the schemata. Ideally, there is balance between assimilation and accommodation to ensure equilibrium.

From the above ideas, he developed the four stages through observation of children. He believed all children passed through the stages sequentially throughout their lifetime. The stages are divided based on age and abilities accompanying them. He divided the stages into four (Snowman et al 33).

Sensorimotor stage: This represents the period from infancy and up to two years of age. At this period, movement and application of senses takes place. Additionally, mental images begin to form while images of objects remain engrained in the child’s mind.

Preoperational period: It takes place between two and seven years where symbolic thoughts develop. Reasoning is nonetheless shallow. Measurement abilities are equally low even when features of objects change.

Concrete stage: Children between the ages of seven to eleven learn to reason and perform mental problems on numbers; the children also look into problems from different perspectives and can reverse activities mentally.

Formal operation stage: It occurs from eleven years of age to adulthood. Abstract thinking takes center stage. Similarly, in this stage hypothesis formation and deduced reasoning become easier to understand.

Eric Erikson’s Psychosocial Development Theory

He developed his theory much later than Piaget did, but he also dealt in development with eight unique stages across the life of a person. New hurdles characterized each stage; the way the person deals with hurdles at a stage determines the aftermath. Consequently, naming of the stages occurred with the likely outcomes in mind. The stages include:

Trust vs. mistrust: Occurs in children below the age of one. The theory posits that, in this stage, the infant is totally dependent on parents and caregivers. Thus, trust is established when the infant feels safe under care; likewise mistrust occurs when safety is minimal. Mistrust and minimal attachment of the child also creates an environment of fear.

Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt: Takes place between one and three years of age. The child develops some sense of independence through learning basic life skills. When children accomplish the purpose of the stage they feel secure. Failure, on the other hand, leads to self-doubt and insecurity.

Initiative vs. Guilt: Takes place between three and six years of age, children become aware of the social environment. Social settings affect the children to exert authority when opportunity is provided.

Industry vs. Inferiority: It covers the ages of six to twelve; competition with fellow children brings out the abilities and skills of the children. A feeling of competency for the victors follows while feelings of doubts linger on the minds of unsuccessful children.

Identity vs. Confusion: The period coincides with the onset of adolescence up to young adulthood. An individual forms an identity, understands his/her role in society and experiences a sense of direction in life. Those who do not succeed emerge bruised with feelings of insecurity of the future.

Intimacy vs. Isolation: Relationships are significant factors for the success of individuals; success depends on healthy and secure relationships. Lack of identity leads to lower self-esteem and higher rates of depression (Snowman et al. 29).

Generativity vs. stagnation: In adulthood, people are productive in their lives through family, work and career. Success in this stage exudes feelings of accomplishment to the society. Failure leads to stagnation in life and unproductive lives.

Integrity vs. Despair: Eric’s last stage deals with the period of old age, people look back into their lives, and accomplishment during one’s life brings bout feelings of contentment while failure leads to disappointment at the wasted opportunities. Additionally, satisfaction follows those who have accomplished their life long wishes (Snowman et al. 30).

Differences

Erik’s theory focuses on the entire development process in life in eight stages. He asserts that the environment interacts with an individual to influence the development. In each of the phases, one encounters crisis and success depends on how he handles the challenges. Skills acquired in progression to another stage lessen insecurity in the individual. These challenges occur in the lifespan from infancy to older age of an individual. Piaget’s theory of cognitive development looks into thought processes of a person. His emphasis is mainly in the earlier stages below the age of twelve. Development of cognitive skills occurs from infancy to the operational phase (above 12 years of age) where abstract thoughts make sense. Naming of the stages represents the cognitive skill attained in the child and adult. Despite the use of stages, they both differ on the timing aspect; Erikson’s theory holds that the first stage ends at one year old while Piaget postulates that the first stage ends at two years of age.

Erikson draws inspiration from the psychoanalytic school of thought as earlier espoused by Freud (Smart 79). His theory came into being later than Piaget’s; Erikson added more ideas to Freud’s theory, that the environment determined personality in individuals. Erikson recognized the significance of sense, autonomy versus shame and doubt provides a compelling example of this. The child uses symbols to represent people and places. Challenges are bound to occur in every stage in Erikson’s theory; in contrast, Piaget focus ends in adulthood while assuming the advent of old age.

Their views on the development process show remarkable differences in the late teens. Piaget views an adolescent as a rational being with rational thoughts. Erik posits that at this stage, the teenager focuses on independence in decision-making, relationships and self-discovery. Piaget’s stages emanated from research and observation while in Erikson’s case it came from experience. Since Erickson is from the psychoanalyst school of thought, he points out that the ego changes constantly altering the individual’s personality. Piaget solely focuses on changes in his theory of four stages, totally ignoring ego in his analysis. Erikson uses the social setting as the bases of his theory. Piaget bases his theory on the assumption of a child’s senses and capability as determinants of development.

Erikson dwelled on personality development; thus, he used observation, clinical methods and questions to conclude. Piaget focused on cognitive development through mental processes, where he asked questions and then followed up by other questions. Through his studies, Piaget theorized the manner in which children formed thoughts.

The theories also contrast in the manner in which they view the stages. According to Piaget, a person may not necessarily go through all phases of his theory; an individual influences their world. Experiences determine development in Piaget’s theory while to Erikson going through all the stages up to old age is seen as essential in explaining the development process.

Similarities

Both of these theories examine the issue of developmental psychology using phases to explain the process. Each of the theories posits that each stage has different challenges in the development process. Thus, successive stages build upon each other to the extent that failure in the preceding stage also precipitates failure in the next stage.

The two theories build on the idea that personality development takes place across a person’s lifespan. Therefore, individuals get inspiration from the surroundings through the learning process. In turn, cognition influences the person to leave a mark in the society and enjoy success. They are also similar on their emphasis on scientific method of enquiries through controlled experiments of a laboratory investigation. Both of the theories have a profound impact on society, especially in early childhood education. However, the integration of the two provides better answers to psychologists and educators on the best way to teach young children.

Early Childhood, Adolescence and Their Significance

Early childhood and adolescence are significant stages for individuals, where they grow physically to attain some form of independence. Cognitive development also takes place with language being understood in the early years while abstract thinking occurs at adolescence. Social development and emotional expressions also accompany people in development while security and safety at younger ages leads to a better outlook on the surroundings (Rathus 507).

Conclusion

Piaget and Erikson contributed a lot in the field of development psychology. Though drawing inspiration from diverse sources in the 20th century, their contributions cannot be ignored despite the time gap. In conclusion, the paper highlighted similarities as well as differences between the two stages. Stages were the main focal points of the theories with each preceding stage unique from the next.

Works Cited

Rathus, Spencer. Childhood and Adolescence: Voyages in Development. New York: Centage learning, 2010. Print

Smart, Julie. Disability across the Development Life Span. New York: Springer Publishing Company, 2011. Print Snowman, Jack et al. Psychology Applied to Teaching. New York: Centage learning. 2011. Print

Anton Chekhov

2012-07-20T09:29:00.002+05:00

Introduction

Anton Chekhov, a Russian writer, is one of the main dramatists and writers of short-stories in history. His total number of works summed up to about six hundred stories and seventeen plays. Apart from being considered one of the most prominent figures of literature, Chekhov secured the Pushkin Prize. He more often than not combined components of both tragedy and comedy in his writing. Chekhov had a remarkable talent for investigating human conditions with skillfulness and elegance. This paper will look at events in his life time as well as some of his popular works.

Chekhov’s Life

The author Anton Pavlovich Chekhov was born in Ukraine in the year 1860 on the 17th day of January in the small seaport of Taganrog. He is recalled as a dramatist and one of the legends of the short stories in modern day. Chekhov’s father was a grocer while his grandfather was a serf. His grandfather ensured they lived an independent life by buying his family’s freedom about 19 years before he was given born. In the early years of his life, Chekhov spent nearly all his time working in his father’s grocery store while following the religious devotion of his father.

He pursued his early education at a school made for boys of the Greek community where he lived from 1867 to 1868 (Rayfield 210). Later when his father broke, and his family moved to Moscow, he continued with his education at the local grammar school from 1868 to 1876. Chekhov continued to live where he was born by supporting himself through tutoring. Later on, he turned out to be a doctor after enrolling as a medical student in the Moscow University Medical School. Many of his writing works encompass science and medical knowledge as depicted by the lethargy most of his characters show in regard to events that are tragic.

While pursuing his education in the medical school, Chekhov started to bring out his comical short stories. The money he got from publishing his short stories was used by himself and his family upbringing. By the year 1886, Chekhov had become a prominent writer as a result of his works. His works were published in a number of papers in St. Petersburg such as Peterburskaia gazeta as of 1885, and Novoe vremia beginning 1886. In addition, during this period, Chekhov also published two novels that were complete, one being, "The Shooting Party," which was English translated in 1926.

In 1884, Chekhov graduated from the school of medicine and later carried out medicine up to the year 1892. His writing skills were significantly enhanced during this period when he was actively participating in the profession of medicine. Moreover, it was at this time that he made enormous literary contributions to St. Petersburg daily Novoe vremya. His works were heavily criticized but at the same time praised by authors like Nikolai Leskov and Leo Tolstoy. Consequently, in the year 1888, Chekhov won the Pushkin Prize. The Society of Lovers of Russian Literature elected him as a member in 1889.

1889 saw him get away from literature for a while when his play, “The Wood Demon”, was not a success. He returned to practicing medicine in the north of Siberia, at a place called Sakhalin. While in, Sakhalin, Chekhov examined prisoners numbering ten thousand who were condemned to life imprisonment as part of his medical exploration. After completing his investigation, he travelled to various destinations of the world including India, Middle East, and South East Asia. He became a full time writer in 1892 after he had bought land and settled in Melikhove. Some of his works that are mostly remembered were published during this time. His more popular stories such as “Lady with the Dog,” were written in 1897 when he moved to Yalta after succumbing to tuberculosis.

In 1901, Chekhov entered into a marital union with Olga Knipper, a lady who formed part of his cast in a number of plays. Olga mostly performed in the plays when Chekhov was in Crimea and Moscow working and treating his health, which was already, deteriorating. Chekhov and his wife had their last performance together during his last birthday in January 17, 1904, with Olga taking the leading role in the play (Rayfield 660). After six month, Chekhov’s health became unbearable, and finally died in July 1904 in Germany.

Chekhov’s Works

The Lady with the Dog

“The Lady with the Dog” was at first published in the year 1899. The story is about an adulterous relationship involving a banker from Russia and a young lady he bumps into while in Yalta during his vacation. The story brings into focus: the first meeting in Yalta, the satisfying completion of the relation and the remaining time in Yalta, the banker’s return to Moscow and a visit to the young lady’s town, and the lady’s Moscow visit (Chekhov 91). Chekhov expresses emotional intricacy using few words, therefore, safeguarding strength of the feelings of his characters. Additionally, he uses colors to pass on both the feelings of characters and altering spirits, as it moves from overly imposing to subdued and banal.

Three Sisters

This play concentrated on the fortunate Russian classes’ rotting and looks for denotation in the contemporary world. The story portrays the way of life and ambitions of the Prozorov family, Olga, Masha, Irina (the three sisters) and Andrei, their brother. The members of the Prozorov family are displeased and disturbed with their current way of life. The sisters were brought up in urban Moscow and are sophisticated and cultured; nonetheless they have been residing in a little provincial town (Chekhov 121). Chekhov drew inspiration from the three Bronte sisters’ life story. The girls associate Moscow with their happy state, and it signifies a life that is perfect. Their dreams diminish because Moscow does not happen.

The Boor

“The Boor” is a play about feelings and commitment’s unpredictability. The story tells of a faithful woman who despite her husband’s death still remains faithful. She, however, becomes annoyed after finding out that her husband, whom she had been faithful to all her life, had been unfaithful. Despite the revelation, she still remains faithful to her husband by staying in her home without visitors. Her way of life makes Mr. Smirnov fall in love with her despite occasions of duel, confrontation, and insults. She is unable to pay her husband’s debt, which Mr. Smirnov, wants paid. This situation makes her end the home imprisonment of self and the start of a new life (Chekhov 45). Life ironies are investigated in this story.

The Seagull

“The Seagull” is a story with a setting in the countryside of Russian at the last part of 19th century. The characters in the “The Seagull” are frustrated with how their lives are. Some want love, others success, others want to be skilled artists. Nonetheless, none of the characters seem to become happy. Most of the characters find themselves in devastating, three person relationships that cause both sorrow and comedy (Chekhov 161).

Conclusion

Though a renowned individual, by the Russian scholarly public, at his death, Chekhov remained globally unknown until after the 1st World War. This was when his compositions were translated into English. Additionally, he wrote many stories due to his speedy writing. Chekhov supposed believed the darker side of the plays should not overshadow the hilarious parts, which permeate even in moments that are dark. This writing style contributes to both theatre and literature.

Works Cited

Chekhov, A. Stories of Anton Chekhov. New York: Modern Library, 2000. Print.

Rayfield, D. Anton Chekhov: A Life. Illinois: Northwestern University Press, 2000. Print.

Toyota Production System

2012-07-20T09:26:00.004+05:00

Introduction

The Toyota’s need for improving its competitiveness in global car production led to the development of Toyota Production System (TPS). The company believes that TPS will assist the firm in confronting with market competition in a more organized manner. The firm developed TPS with intent to effectively meet increasing global demand for quality and low cost cars. Evidence suggests that this system has greatly aided the organization to cut down operating costs and to foster employee creativity. This paper will analyze Toyota’s Production System, computerized elements of the lean manufacturing system, and technological advancements in automobile industry.

Toyota Production System (TPS)

TPS is an integrated socio-technical system developed by Taiichi Ohno, Shigeo Shingo, and Eiji Toyoda. This system includes its management philosophy and practices. It assists Toyota in organizing its manufacturing activities and logistics and in effective interaction with suppliers and customers. The major objectives of TPS include resolution on the overburden, inconsistency, and elimination of waste. As Basu points out, this system addresses seven kinds of waste such as waste of overproduction, waste of time on hand, waste in transportation, waste of processing itself, waste of stock on hand, waste of movement, and waste of making defective products (Basu 11). Toyota believes that quality management is the key to global competitiveness and hence the company deploys the TPS as a tool for meeting customer tastes and preferences. The most fascinating feature of the TPS is that it can accurately identify wastes in production and effectively optimize various scheduling processes. In the view of some experts, the greatest strength of TPS is the way it develops people. Unlike a push system where employees just work according to the instructions they are given, the TPS greatly fosters employee creativity and this situation benefits the company to improve its productivity. In TPS, T stands for ‘Thinking’ as well as ‘Toyota’. The TPS encourages Toyota workers to come up with revolutionary production techniques and unique ideas that would contribute to the firm’s market competitiveness. It is noted that this system is highly potential to develop efficient leaders who can thoroughly understand various processes and hence train others. In addition, TPS is a better tool to develop exceptional teams of employees that can properly follow the company’s philosophy.

Similarly, this system greatly aids the organization to cut lead-time by eliminating all the bits that do not add any value to the manufacturing process. A cut in lead-time in turn will contribute to cost reduction and operational efficiency. And an electric light board, an important feature of TPS, assists workers to quickly identify faults (if any) that occurred during the production process, and this system prevents moving of defective items to the next stages. Under TPS, employees work on defects only when they occur and this strategy benefits the organization to drop number of staff to be employed and thereby reduce cost of production (Toyota). The Toyota’s production system promotes continuous improvement by encouraging employees to learn lessons from faults. In addition to improving product quality, the TPS also aims to cut production costs and thereby increase profitability. This system gives great emphasis on the local procurement of production material with intent to reduce costs. Rather than focusing on defective products, the company’s production system tries to identify and restructure defective processes. It pays specific attention to the organization’s policies and strategies and trains employees to strictly comply with Toyota’s accepted rules and standards (Toyota Public Affairs Division).

The TPS uses a pull system to avoid over production and to keep low inventory levels. This system ensures effective work shift scheduling so as to avoid imposing work overload on employees. The firm’s production system has been structured in such a way that the increased respect is given to network of partners and suppliers by helping them improve their supply chain activities. Hence, it can be stated that TPS is a comprehensive approach to manufacturing, since it integrates people, management, technology, and creative thinking under the concept of total quality management. The TPS adopts lean manufacturing system to reduce lead time and to promote a learning environment within the organization. Various tools of lean manufacturing are crucial to identify wasteful processes and thereby trim down cost of production. Moreover, TPS is a technological system with information system dimensions as well as people management system dimensions.

Lean manufacturing system

Error proofing, Kanban System, stop the line quality system, visual management, in station process control, level production, takt time, and quick changeover are the major computerized elements of the lean manufacturing system (“Basic Elements of Lean Manufacturing.”). The error proofing system assists the firm in preventing products from being built inappropriately, whereas the Kanban system is a pull material system that deploys cards to move material along the value stream. Stop the line quality system serves Toyota as a tool for stopping production line when bad quality is recognized. Similarly, the visual management system aids a new employee to get a detailed understanding about his jobs in the firm. In station process control is the system developed for ensuring the production of good quality parts, while the level production tries to match the production level to customer demand. The takt time system pays attention to keeping production pace in line with customer demand. Finally, the quick changeover system increases the efficiency of changeover from one product to another in a quick manner.

Automobile industry advancements

The automobile industry has achieved a lot of technological advancements over the last few years. As Heaps points out, the automobile industry of today is giving focus on eliminating environmental, quality, and cost management issues in addition to pushing the technological envelope. According to the writer, technology is becoming the major factor influencing the manufactures’ decision about product, processes, and business. In addition, the goal to advance technology is likely to affect business expansion strategies including mergers and acquisitions. According to Heaps, another notable new trend in automobile industry is that companies are switching their focus from quality improvement to new product development. Similarly, technological innovation is considered more important than product pricing and affordability. Finally, current trends indicate that environmental concern ratings are slightly falling due to overemphasis on product features (Heaps).

Works Cited

Basu, Ron. Fit Sigma: A Lean Approach to Building Sustainable Quality Beyond Six Sigma. UK: John Wiley and Sons, 2011. Print.

Heaps, Russ. “7 amazing advances in new car technology.” Bankrate.com. 2012. Web. 21 May 2012. <http://www.bankrate.com/finance/auto/7-amazing-advances-in-new-car-technology-1.aspx>

“Basic Elements of Lean Manufacturing.” Lean Masters Consulting Group, Inc.2006. Web. 21 May 2012. <http://www.leanmasters.com/elements.html>

Toyota Public Affairs Division. “The Toyota production system.” Toyota Georgetown. (2003). Web. 21 May 2012. <http://www.toyotageorgetown.com/tps.asp>

Self Configuring Wireless Sensor Networks

2012-07-20T09:23:00.003+05:00

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are gaining greater momentum as mobile deployed sensing clusters and networks that can be used to gather various kinds of information[1]. In recent years, the application of WSNs has been expanded from military applications to more commercial and consumer pursuits. The use of WSNs in the industry to monitor machine health, critical process parameters and the like is gaining wide currency[2]. Depending on the application, there may be a few wireless sensors to a few thousand wireless sensors in a typical WSN[3]. The key in using WSNs is to provide maximum coverage to the phenomenon under observation with minimal human input. While smaller WSNs are easier to manipulate, the larger WSNs such as those being used to monitor forest fires or traffic conditions may display unstable behaviour. The instability in contemporary WSNs requires constant human input as well as a loss of required information[4]. The implementation of WSNs is not completely reliable as yet given a few research areas that need to be addressed.

Among other things, WSNs are prone to failure from both hardware and software interfaces. The centralised nature of WSNs means that the failure of one central node could lead to a shutdown of the entire network. In a similar manner, an overload of information in the WSN could trigger communication imbalances that could take the entire network offline[5]. The more hardware prone problems such as hardware reliability and battery life maximisation have been under research for a long time[6]. There is an ongoing move in the research community to develop better self configuring WSNs in order to minimise human input and to bolster information collection reliability.
Research Outcomes

The primary object of this research is to outline various factors that affect the self configuring characteristics of a WSN. The typical areas of investigation would include network architecture, gateway control mechanisms, information and traffic management structures etc. The secondary objective of this research would be to establish a working WSN that provides seamless self configuration characteristics. It may not be possible to apply the proposed solution to all situations requiring WSNs but could be considered a step forward. Moreover, this research would deal with the software interfaces of WSNs alone in order to investigate self configuring characteristics.
Research Questions

- What parameters and factors contribute to a failure of self configuration in WSNs?

- What current software management techniques exist for dealing with these factors and parameters especially with respect to self configuration?

- Can self configuration characteristics of smaller WSNs be superimposed to larger WSNs to derive common solutions? If not, what are the impediments?
Research Methods

The research will be sorted into two distinct phases. The first phase will be composed of secondary research where the relevant literature on self configuring WSNs will be explored. The literature will be gathered using scientific, peer reviewed journals and recognised books only through an online search of the relevant scientific databases. The key words used for the search will include (but will not be limited to) “self configuring”, “wireless sensor network”, “WSN”, “WSNs”, “self configuring WSN”, “self-configuring WSN”. The resulting literature will be sorted as per relevance to self configuration. Attempts will be made to use literature no older than five years from the date of the current research.

The secondary research will be augmented by primary research that will construct a WSN in order to investigate the use of contemporary software management in WSNs. The WSN will be expanded as the investigation proceeds and the type of sensor employed such as temperature sensors may be augmented by other types of sensors such as humidity sensors. The resulting WSNs will be simulated to discover various factors that cause issues in self configuration. The findings from the smaller WSNs will be superimposed to the larger WSNs in order to see if the learning is applicable.

References J K Hart and K Martinez, ‘Environmental Sensor Networks:A revolution in the earth system science?’ Earth-Science Reviews 78 (2006)

K Martinez and J K Hart and R Ong ‘Deploying a Wireless Sensor Network in Iceland’ Process Geosensor Networks 5659 (2009)

K Sohraby and D Minoli and T Znati, Wireless sensor networks: technology, protocols, and applications (John Wiley and Sons 2007)

M Niazi and A Hussain, ‘A Novel Agent-Based Simulation Framework for Sensing in Complex Adaptive Environments’ IEEE Sensors Journal 11(2) (2011)

P Garcia, ‘A Methodology for the Deployment of Sensor Networks’ IEEE Transactions On Knowledge And Data Engineering 11(4) 2011

W Dargie and C Poellabauer, Fundamentals of wireless sensor networks: theory and practice (John Wiley and Sons 2010)

[1] W Dargie and C Poellabauer, Fundamentals of wireless sensor networks: theory and practice (John Wiley and Sons 2010)

[2] K Sohraby and D Minoli and T Znati, Wireless sensor networks: technology, protocols, and applications (John Wiley and Sons 2007)

[3] J K Hart and K Martinez, ‘Environmental Sensor Networks:A revolution in the earth system science?’ Earth-Science Reviews 78 (2006) 177-191

[4] K Martinez and J K Hart and R Ong ‘Deploying a Wireless Sensor Network in Iceland’ Process Geosensor Networks 5659 (2009) 131-137

[5] P Garcia, ‘A Methodology for the Deployment of Sensor Networks’ IEEE Transactions On Knowledge And Data Engineering 11(4) 2011

[6] M Niazi and A Hussain, ‘A Novel Agent-Based Simulation Framework for Sensing in Complex Adaptive Environments’ IEEE Sensors Journal 11(2) (2011) 404–412

France Business Code Ethics

2012-07-20T09:10:00.005+05:00

1) Project Summary

A myriad of factors determine the conduciveness of a business environment. France, though having almost all incentives to business success, has cultural undercurrents which can either bolster or weaken the cause of entrepreneurship. The fact that France is a culturally variegated country is a matter that unleashes panic among new entrants in the market, while cultural pluralism in fact should spur onwards, entrepreneurial exploits due to varied tastes, preferences and wants. This paper therefore seeks to identify the connection that exists among cultural heritage, ethical values and business success in France.

A. A Brief Understanding of the Country

France is not only a developed country, but one that has moved from economic government ownership and control, to free market economy. Many large companies in France have been privatized, with France Telecom, Air France, Thales and Renault being examples of plans that have undergone privatization. France enjoys the third largest earning from tourism, being the world’s most visited tourist destination. Despite these points of strengths, France is greatly affected by cultural dynamics and ethical constraints.

1. History

France, officially known as the French Republic is an independent republic in Western Europe. It extends as far as the Mediterranean Sea, the English Channel, the North Sea, the Rhine River and the Atlantic Ocean. Presently, France is the largest country in Europe and also owns the world’s second-most important exclusive economic zone. While the history of France is always traced back to the Franks, France has developed over time to be a leading democracy and one of the pillars of European Union (EU). Likewise, France had been an absolute monarchy until the Storming of the Bastille took place on July 14th, 1789 and culminated unto the French Revolution. It was also at this historical juncture that France founded the fundamental rights and freedoms of the French citizens without any exception by making a declaration on the rights of man and those of the French citizen.

All the above developments have given businesses in France a greater impetus. For instance, through the declaration of human rights and freedom, French citizens are able to choose their occupation, including entrepreneurship. Conversely, the aforementioned leadership position is seen in the manner in which it has continued to dispense an important global role as one of the permanent member of NATO, the EU, the Great 8, the Great 20 and the United Nations Security Council. Initially, France had been removed from NATO forces or membership, courtesy of Gualle’s 1966 decree, but in 2009, France resumed its position in NATO’s military command. This means well for France, given that political, economic and social stability and infrastructure are needed for businesses.

2. Political System

Since 1958, France has been a combination of both presidential and parliamentary systems. This means that France has been able to delude the dangers and excesses that come with the presidential systems. Likewise, after the end of World War I and II, France has come to maintain cordial relations with other powers in Europe such as Germany. The import of this is that this international reconciliation and subsequent cooperation has not only paved way for economic integration of Europe but also for the use of a common currency, namely the Euro. This has been the case since 1999.

That France is a democracy is a matter that is not only underscored by its constitution which was written on September 28th, 1958, but also by the arms of the government which are independent of each other. The president as the head of the state and the prime minister who is the head of the government form the head of the executive. France’s legislature is a bicameral parliament which comprises the 319 members of the Senate and 577 members of the National Assembly. Conversely, France has a judicial arm which is made up of the Court of Cassation, the Constitutional Council and the Council of Senate. The Court of Cassation deals with both criminal and civil law, while the Council of State discharges the duties pertaining to administrative courts. The constitutional court deals with matters pertinent to constitutional law.

Political pluralism is very vibrant in France with the existence of several political parties such as the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP), the New Center Movement, the Socialist Party, the Communist Party and the Democratic Movement serving as a testimony to this healthy interparty competition. French citizens get to vote in their preferred presidential candidates and members of the legislative council, upon having attained age 18.

The provisions of democracy enlisted above remain of critical importance to business and trade, given that they ensure continuity and peaceful political transition from one regime change to another. This in turn provides a strong chance for political stability which is inextricably integral to business or commerce.

3. Ethical System

The ethical value system of France is one that is drawn from different traditions and sources. The greatest part of France’s legal system comes with the declaration of human rights and freedom. In this light, a matter becomes an ethical concern when it contravenes the rights and freedoms of others. The fact that the highest fraction of France’s population derives their identity from nationality in lieu of religion is a direct exemplification of France’s ethical system being derived from secular laws and values. Religious tradition, especially Christianity has also had a greater impetus in shaping the ethical system of France. Polls that were carried out in 2005 and 2011 by the Pew Research Center revealed that the French were found to be more tolerant than people from the rest of the world (Diane-Laure, 2010).

4. Demographic details

According to 2011 estimates, France has a population of 66 million people. This means that France ranks the 20th in demography. The same provisions maintain that since 2010, France’s fecundity rate has risen from 1.68 to 2.01, in 1994. A fifth of France’s population consists of immigrants. Majority of these immigrants are from Algeria Morocco and Turkey. Furthermore, that France is demographically variegated is a matter that is underscored by 40% of the French population having descended from different countries. This high influx of foreigners into France has its underpinnings in the liberal mien of the country. Presently, France is reputed as Western Europe’s leading asylum destination. In 2000 alone, for example, there were over 50,000 asylum applications. Nevertheless, France remains concerned about a vast majority of its population being inordinately situated in urban areas and cities, and thereby leaving rural France depopulated. Over 55% of the French population are the youth, while the old make up 23% of this population.

The relevance behind this development is that it shows clearly a country that is very rich in both skilled and unskilled sources of labor which are very important in a country’s entrepreneurial growth and development. Likewise, it is this same age group that is pushed into business ventures and exploits due to the push to make ends meet or passion for business, the failure to access jobs or the need for self actualization.

5. Cultural Diversity of the Region

France is the most culturally diverse country in Western Europe. This cultural diversity has its underpinnings in France’s friendly attitude towards immigrants. Because of France’s friendliness towards immigrants and asylum seekers, Arabs, Muslims and even people from African descent are part of France’s demography. Other demographic sources of culture include the Caucasians who are mostly Christian. Another factor that renders France a cultural variegation is the European Union immigration law. EU immigration laws allow any citizen of the EU to visit any EU-member state. In fact, to strengthen this cause, all member states of EU share one passport (and also have the same trade and travel laws) and thereby making influx into and out of France relatively easier.

Conversely, France’s cultural variegation has its roots in its history. If there are countries that should brag about having intellectual prowess, France must centrally feature among them. France is known to have produced several philosophers such as Voltaire, Rene Descartes and Michael Foucault. Some of these philosophers such as Voltaire were not only atheists, but they also existed alongside Christianity, and thereby giving an alternative to theism. It is against this backdrop that culturally, France is a cultural melting pot consisting of Christian influence and tradition, Islam, atheism (and agnosticism), oriental culture and a following for eastern religions such as Buddhism, Confucianism, Sikhism and Taoism among others.

6 Impacts on Business Ethics

The cultural and social variegation mentioned above greatly shape and affect France’s business ethics. This is in light of the fact that France’s business ethics is largely drawn from secular laws and values, as opposed to religious traditions. In France, business operations, transactions, rules and regulations are drawn from the French Constitution. Provided businesses are registered and do not engage in larceny, fraud and contravention of labor laws, they may be considered legit. Nevertheless, religion is seen to have a salient role in drawing up business regulations in France. For instance, although French laws and international labor laws through the office of the International Labor Organization (ILO) are largely secular, yet a concept such as the entitlement of the worker to his just wages is a matter that has strong religious traditions.

B. Assessing the Nature of the Government Business Policies/Laws and Their Impacts on Business Ethics and Trade Activities

Fassin et al. (2010) divulge that French business laws are unlike others, more comprehensive and restrictive. Because of France’s restrictive laws, forming French companies is more complicated and time-consuming. For instance, Societe par Actions Simplifiee (SAS) spells out the steps that foreign organizations and subsidiaries ought to follow when entering France. These laws also affect the way goods and services are distributed and transported. This is because the French Business Law does not only regulate distribution of products, but the same also dictates selling techniques, franchising and commercial leases. For instance, SAS makes it mandatory to follow standard nine year terms that are set for commercial leases that are affected in France. These obligations are only lifted after every three years and greatly favor the interests of the tenant.

C. The Codes of Ethics/Conduct That the Team Will Put Into Practice

The team prefers to follow after honesty when carrying out the distribution. Since SAS, for instance, fundamentally defines how commodities in France are to be transported and distributed, it becomes necessary that honesty in advertising is held as paramount. In this effect, it will behoove the company in point to eschew highlighting features that do not exist in the product that is being introduced into the market. For instance, 2G (second generation) Internet bandwidth is to be branded as such, and not as 3G, the way some Internet services providers do, as a form of marketing gimmick.

Secondly, the company is to consider integrating corporate social responsibility (CSR) into its modus operandi. This includes ensuring strict adherence to tax laws and the terms and services that govern services provision. This measure will not take into consideration the unforeseen uncertainties in the market and the competition therein. For instance, if this Internet services providing company had started providing unlimited data bundle to subscribers, in the event that competition renders the package and the price it was to be offered at as untenable, the Internet services company will have to wait until the package is exhausted by the market. While most companies and businesses do not honor this approach, it remains a salient feature in business success. Businesses that shift goalposts during their points of convenience are usually passed on as dishonest by consumers, and exploitative by the government (Bowen, 2007).

D. Investigating the Relationship between Ethics and Cultural Diversity

The relationship between ethics and cultural diversity is one that is inextricably integral. Many a time, cultural diversity has led to broader interpretation and adoption of ethical values. Shum and Yam (2011) contend that this is because cultural diversity readily brings about multiculturalism. Multiculturalism, in its turn, leads to ethical relativism instead of ethical absolutes. To this effect, one cultural value is not used to interpret or judge another cultural value. This leads to a situation where ethical values are no longer drawn from the diverse cultural standpoints, but from secular views. This is especially the case when there are divisive or competitive interests between cultures, or when one culture tries to gain hegemony over the others. This, for instance, exists among religious values. For example, no sooner will the state borrow business law from Judeo-Christian values, than Muslims call for the creation of Kadhi’s courts to address their civil litigations. Conversely, a society with one cultural heritage such as is exhibited in a nation or a nation-state is likely to have more radical ethical values.

Conclusion and Future Work

It therefore emerges clear that culture affects work and business ethics. Likewise, culture emanates from the drawing from a common historical heritage and interaction between different cultural heritages. The gravity behind this development is that business ethics are drawn from culture to safeguard consumers’ rights and interests, to ensure adherence to the law, and to ensure continual provision of essential goods and services. Since social interactions are ongoing, it befits to assert that culture is also dynamic and so is business and work ethics. It also remains true that ethics and culture affect business. The more radical ethical values get, the more businesses are affected. Business that are least affected are essential commodities such as food, clothing and shelter. The most affected businesses on the other hand may be those that fulfill secondary needs.

References

Bowen, F. (2007). Corporate Social Strategy: Competing Views from Two Theories of the Firm.

Journal of Business Ethics, 75 (1): 97-113.

Diane-Laure, A. (2010). A Social Movement Perspective on Finance: How Socially Responsible

Investment Mattered. Journal of Business Ethics, 92 (4): 57-78.

Fassin, Y. et al. (2010). Small-business Owner-managers' Perceptions of CSR and business-

related Ethical Concepts: A European cross-cultural comparative Analysis. Academy of

Management Annual Meeting Proceedings, 12 (14): 1-6.

Shum, P., &Yam, S. (2011). Ethics and Law: Guiding the Invisible Hand to Correct Corporate Social Responsibility Externalities. Journal of Business Ethics, 98 (4): 549-71.

Tsotsi

2012-07-20T09:05:00.000+05:00

What the Film Is About

Tsotsi is a 2005 movie which Gavin Hood authored and directed. Gavin Hood in turn had adapted the concept of Tsotsi, from a novel that had been authored by Athol Fugard. While many point out at the film winning the Academy Award and the Golden Globe for the Best Foreign Language Film in 2005 and 2006 respectively, scholars and literary artistes cite the film’s thematic value as proof of its importance. With its plot having been set to develop in South Africa, particularly in Johannesburg’s Alexandra slum, the film presents Tsotsi, a youthful street urchin as the protagonist. Having often times resorted to stealing as a means to earning a living, Tsotsi one day steals a car, not knowing that a baby is in its backseat.

The Theme of the Film

There are several themes in this film. First and foremost, there is the theme of redemption which begins to play out immediately Tsotsi is stranded with the baby he had inadvertently stolen. The theme of poverty and criminality and the interrelationship between these two is also revisited in the movie, since Tsotsi is pushed into a life of crime because of poverty. The same poverty constrains Tsotsi from being a law abiding citizen, and makes him a brutal criminal instead, though he knows that robbery in itself is wrong. Likewise, Tsotsi’s friends- Butcher, Aap and Boston have been compelled to live in the streets and to dabble with crime by poverty. The existence of street gangs is also spurred on by poverty. At an instance, Butcher and Aap are almost shifting their loyalty from Tsotsi’s gang to a richer rival.

The concept of fatherhood also heavily and prominently features in the film, to the point of setting the plotline running and leading to the film’s denouement. It is Tsotsi’s abusive father that drives Tsotsi into a criminal life in the streets of Johannesburg, and thereby helping in the development of the plotline. Tsotsi finds himself inadvertently in the same state of fatherhood after he ends up with a baby after a carjacking spree. This unplanned state of fatherhood triggers the humane part of Tsotsi, and thereby causing the plotline to change, thicken and quicken towards the climax. The same concept acts as a tool with which the author displays the true intent of Tsotsi’s heart. Particularly, at a given point, Tsotsi attempts to raise money for Boston’s exams, albeit this is done through robbery. Conversely, the same concept of fatherhood plays out subtly in the film’s climax, and thereby shaping its conclusion. As Tsotsi hands over the child to Pumla’s husband John, John plays a fatherly role to Tsotsi by attempting to dissuade the police from shooting Tsotsi.

Whether the Film Conveys Any Messages That Will Make A Difference In Americans’ Ordinary Life

The film conveys messages that can change American lifestyles for the better. This is because the movie addresses themes such as fatherhood, poverty, criminality and redemption. By considering fatherhood in light of this film, American parents must take stock of their roles towards their children. Likewise, by considering poverty and criminality, America has a chance to address the disproportionate distribution of economic values among racial and class lines, and racial profiling. The theme of redemption on the other hand reminds every American citizen of his personal responsibility towards the law and the state. The outlaw is reminded in his conscience that no matter how far he thinks he may have sunk in crime, he can still change for the better.

Nevertheless, the problem with America is that instead of taking the film’s themes into its life system, it is likely to pass Tsotsi as just another literary piece that lacks the clearest quality of originality. This is because, in Tsotsi, Americans are likely to see a sequel of Tony Montana of Al Pacino. America has also watched similar movies such as Raoul Walsh’s Regeneration, where an orphan becomes a leader of a gang, but is eventually succored by a woman of noble intent and character.

Ways in Which the Techniques of Filmmaking Were Used To Get the Film's Message Across, Or To Make the Message Plausible or Compelling

Hood uses different techniques to make this film more compelling. He for instance uses non-diagetic sounds. Hood includes 19 soundtracks to this effect, with the genre of these songs being hip-hop, Kwaito and Afro-pop. Among some of these hip-hop songs is Ghetto Scandalous by Bonginkosi and group. This song remains an important technique in filmmaking since it helps the audience identify with the mind of street gangs who think that dabbling in criminality is fun. Hood also makes the film a polyglot since it comprises the languages, English, isiZulu, isiXhosa and Afrikaans. For instance, that Ian Roberts acts as Captain Smit, an Afrikaner police captain, is a matter that is helped by the introduction of the Afrikaans. This multilingual approach to film making helps validate the movie, since the approach covertly concedes to the reality of South Africa being multiracial and multilingual.

Hood also uses diagetic sounds such as the roaring of car engine, the barking of dogs and the crying of a baby to make the movie plausible.

The author also uses lightning techniques to make the movie plausible. For instance, when Tsotsi’s gangs carry out night raids, very little or weak light is used, so that the audience can realize that that event is taking place during nighttime. Likewise, Tsotsi and his gang are heavily shadowed through the use of silhouettes to make them readily identifiable as villains. Not using proper lighting could have given a different meaning since it could have portrayed the robbery as diurnal and thereby painting Johannesburg and its environs as very insecure (to a point that robbery takes place therein, during daytime). Hood has also edited the different shots and put them together into a film or a montage. At the instance where the police intervene in the encounter between Tsotsi and Mr. John, Hood allows the use of close-ups to build tension.

Hood’s dexterity in movie-making is underscored by the way he artistically interweaves these techniques to a point that it is almost impossible to cite an instance of ineffective use or misuse.

Three Sequences That Are Most Important In the Film

There are three sequences that are very important in the film: the depiction of Tsotsi’s background which is characterized by challenges and suffering at the hands of an abusive father; the inability of Boston to pay for his exams; and the robbing of Mrs. Pumla. The unveiling of Tsotsi’s background is important since it sets off a chain of events that develops the plot and leads to the film’s climax. Specifically, it is poverty, the misery of watching a terminally ill mother die slowly and the merciless oppression at the hands of an abusive and highhanded father that drive Tsotsi to resort to the streets and particularly, huge concrete pipes as domicile. This sequence which is heavily wrought with social, financial, physical and psychological suffering serves as a window through which Tsotsi’s subsequent actions are to be understood. This means that such a past serves as the springboard from which the rest of the plot develops and thickens.

The robbing of Mrs. Pumla’s car plays a very critical role in the development of the film’s plot, the revealing of Tsotsi’s heart and in changing the course of the plotline altogether. This is the case, primarily because the robbery leaves the baby fortuitously under Tsotsi’s custody. It is at this juncture that the true character of the protagonist is revealed, or where the protagonist changes his character for the better. Tsotsi begins to look after the infant but realizes that he is inadequate in taking care of it. He hands the baby over to Miriam to taker care of it. It is most probable that immediately the baby gets into Tsotsi’s life, he becomes aware of the damage his larcenous deeds were wreaking on the social fabric. Tsotsi knew very well that it is his robbing and shooting of Mrs. Pumla that the baby was suffering under his custody. At the same time, Tsotsi knew very well that he had failed to stand in the gap as the baby’s father and only parent.

It is at the retrospective juncture above that Tsotsi becomes morally conscious, and thereby changing the plot of the film. As a matter of fact, Tsotsi being touched by Boston’s inability to pay for his exams comes after this transformation. This transformation on the other hand develops and changes the course of the plotline, since the need to help Boston drives Tsotsi and his gang into another robbery spree that would see the baby’s parents (Mr. John and Mrs. Pumla) and Tsotsi and his gang meet.

As far as the third sequence is concerned, it is this Boston’s inability to afford his exams that lets the audience in on Tsotsi’s heart. By reacting that each gang member contributes to this end, the author shows Tsotsi as someone with a caring heart but lacking the means to carry this goodwill. It is this disparity between having the goodwill and lacking the wherewithal to execute this goodness that eventually drives Tsotsi into another robbery expedition. This also sets the stage rolling towards the film’s denouement, since by engaging in this final act of robbery, Tsotsi and his gag encounter the parents of the baby that he had inadvertently stolen.

What the Film Reveals About the Personality and Interests of the Filmmaker

The film indeed reveals some personality and interests of the filmmaker. First, the film reveals Gavin Hood as someone who is very conscious about social justice. Hood’s interest in social justice is seen by him addressing the causes and undercurrents of crime, instead of simply echoing the chorus about crime being the bane of any society. This is seen in the manner in which he shows failed families, poor fatherhood and poverty as agents that collude to drive an individual into crime. Tsotsi is an individual who has been failed by his abusive father and lives in Alexandra slum. He resorts to robbing and stealing as a way of realizing his self preservation. It can therefore be rightly surmised that to Hood, crime has sociological forces and reasons as its underpinnings. Repudiating Hood’s postulation may also be hard, since there can never be successful combating of crime in any society that has a yawning chasm between the rich and the poor.

The film also betrays Hood as an experienced and skillful filmmaker, producer and screenwriter. This is not only underscored by the film winning the Academy Award and the Golden Globe for the Best Foreign Language, but also by the way he is able to form a complex weave of relatable matters such as failed parenting (fatherhood), poverty and crime, and to show how these sociological elements shape the course of human conduct, vis-à-vis, the person of Tsotsi.

The film also readily confirms Hood as a scholar and a literary artiste who has a great respect and love for nationalism and consciousness of the country’s economic and sociopolitical issues. It is not in doubt that Hood could have found other items to write about in Europe or America, seeing that Hood is a Caucasian who studied filming in Los Angeles, at the University of California. Instead, Hood chooses to address matters that take place his country, South Africa. While addressing matters that are autochthonous to South Africa, the film displays an intricate knowledge on the country’s physical and geographical terrain that Hood as the author possesses. The physical terrain that link Johannesburg and the slum is very well elaborated on.

Conclusion and Insights That the Film Gives Into the Foreign Country's Unique Customs and Traditions

There is no denying that because the movie was shot in South Africa, it must carry with it, cultural values and undertones that belong to this particular country. For instance, the movie confirms the reality of multiculturalism in South Africa. This, Hood does by orchestrating a stage that is graced by characters who speak English, isiZulu, isiXhosa and Afrikaans. In the same way English carries strong anglicizing forces, so do the isiZulu and isiXhosa act as mediums through which indigenous African traditional values are preserved and perpetuated from one generation to another. Thus, in the movie, each language represents a culture.

The film also speaks of the negative culture of ethnic segregation. In it, Tsotsi’s gang comprises only the Zulu and the Xhosa. The Afrikaner comes into the picture as the police captain, and thereby showing that they occupy the elitist portfolios in this society. On the other hand, the autochthones as are portrayed in the persons in Tsotsi’s gangs are living in the outermost fringes of the country’s economy. While Tsotsi and John get along readily despite the former being a criminal, Captain Smit and his lieutenants are ready to shoot Tsotsi. This also underlines the negative culture of ethnic intolerance and discrimination that continues to persist in South Africa.

In another wavelength, the film covertly revisits fatherhood as an important institution in the southern Africa country. The disharmony that is being viewed in South Africa’s social order is attributed to the denudation of fatherhood. Tsotsi substantively stands in place of a generation that has received no inculcation of societal values from its fathers. To this effect, Tsotsi’s generation is compelled into a life of vices.

Works Cited

Dovey, Lindiwe. “Redeeming features: from Tsotsi to Tsotsi” Journal of African Cultural Studies,. 19.2: (2007): 143-164. Print

Ancient Greek Burial Customs

2012-07-20T08:58:00.001+05:00

It was a common belief among ancient Greeks that life after death existed and that the dead needed their accessories to enjoy in their status after they are dead. According to Morris, space and time mark burial customs in Greece. Greek culture and customs were largely affected by its geography (Martin 1). Economic conditions determined the wealth of burial findings. Each time period provides rich burial sites of wealthy and powerful of that particular time period. The Bronze Age was characterized by Minoan and Mycenaean cultures. The Dark Age revealed much smaller, yet still present upper class among ancient Greeks. The Archaic and Classical Periods continued the worship of the dead. Central to all of the periods was that honor was of central importance in burial (Morris 49). Valor on the battlefield and the ability to produce offspring were more valued than anything else in the Greek society, since they provided continuity to the ancient Greek bloodlines and society.

Greek territory is located at the Aegean sea, and spread across many islands (Martin 1). Mainland is covered by mountains (Martin 1). Only 20 – 30 percent of Greek mainland and a few islands were arable in the time of ancient Greece (Martin 2). Sea was their main transport route (Martin 2). Greeks traded with merchants from the Near East, Egypt and other eastern Mediterranean parts (Martin 2).

Despite the shared culture, Greeks never constituted one state. Ancient Greeks lived in different communities, ranging from oligarchies to monarchies and tyrannies, with some such as Athens reaching democracy (Martin). However, they all shared “a cultural identity because they spoke dialects of the same language” (Martin 4). They worshipped the same gods and gathered at celebrations of their gods (Martin 4).

Two prominent cultures in the Bronze Age were the Mycenaean on the mainland and Minoan on Crete. Around 2,200 B.C., the Minoan culture developed (Martin 24). Palaces sprang up in the Minoan culture. Females were highly valued as represented on the palace frescoes and figurines of “bosomy goddesses”, but burial customs reveal that males held highest positions in running the society (Martin 26). Martial prowess was highly valued, as the wealth of weaponry found in graves of Minoan males indicated (Martin 26). It is safe to assume than Minoan palaces were run by male kings or princes, and that the society was already highly specialized (Martin 26).

The first Greek speaking culture whose burial grounds have been uncovered come from the Mycenaean culture of the second half of the second millennium B.C. (Martin 16). The Mycenaean culture left rich and unique burial grounds. They were constructed as stone-lined shafts (Martin 27). Corpses were buried “with golden jewelry, including heavy necklaces festooned with pendants, gold and silver vessels, bronze weapons decorated with scenes of wild animals inlaid in precious metals, and delicately painted pottery” (Martin 26). The shafts date back to 1,600 B.C. (Martin 26). The artifacts of the shaft graves indicate that Mycenaean culture was dominated by warriors and organized in independent settlements ruled by powerful commanders who lived in palaces (Martin 27). There was another type of burial chambers, tholos tombs (Martin 28). They are “spectacular underground domed chambers built in beehive shapes from closely fitted stones” (Martin 28). These stones mark a new period in Mycenaean society, beginning in the fifteenth century B.C., characterized by contacts throughout the eastern Mediterranean (Martin 28).

As in the Minoan society, here too were warriors highly valued (Martin 29). All wealthy males in the Mycenaean culture were buried with their fighting equipment (Martin 29). A tomb from the fourteenth century B.C. in Dendra in northeastern Peloponnese harbored a complete suit of Mycenaean bronze armor composed of “a complete bronze cuirass (chest guard) of two pieces for front and back, an adjustable skirt of bronze plates, bronze greaves (shin guards), shoulder plates, and a collar…[and] a boar'stusk helmet with metal cheekpieces” (Martin 29). His grave also contained “a leather shield, bronze and clay vessels, and a bronze comb with gold teeth” (Martin 29). This tomb is indicative of the state of the art in technology and the place in society that technology had in warfare: “the lightweight, two-wheeled chariot pulled by horses” dominated the battlefields (Martin 29). The vehicles were represented on “a Mycenaean grave marker from about 1500 B.C.” (Martin 29). Chariots served as a sign of social status, as cars nowadays (Martin 29). War and military prowess were highly admired.

The pinnacle of the Mycenaean culture occurred after 1400 B.C., when a very large domed tomb at Mycenae, called the Treasury of Atreus, was constructed (Martin 33). It was furnished with an “elaborately decorated facade and soaring roof” (Martin 33). From 1200 to 1000 B.C. the largest Greek civilizations of the time were destroyed, population dropped significantly and returned mostly to farming (Martin 31). This era is called the Dark Ages, which ended around 900 B.C. (Martin 38).

Hierarchical forms of society survived in the Dark Age. Comparing to the Mycenaean society, Greek societies in the Dark Age were less hierarchical as many of them turned to farming (Martin 39). Hierarchical social system survived in more economically advanced areas, and it might have revived already in the late eleventh century B.C. (Martin 39). There is a burial ground from the late tenth century, called Lefkandi'on the island of Euboea (Martin 39). A couple was buried there, and they are believed to have died around 950 B.C. (Martin 39). Elements of Near Eastern culture were present (Martin 39). The female corpse was decorated with elaborate gold ornaments symbolizing her economic status (Martin 39). By 900 B.C., more burial findings discovered wealthy Greeks were present in the Greek society, as valuable objects were buried with them (Martin 39). Before that, mostly clay pots were found with the corpses, as most were poor (Martin 40).

Iron marked a transition to the Archaic Age by 900 B.C, which lasted until 480 B.C. Burial findings at Athens contain male remains surrounded by metal weapons, instead of bronze (Martin 40). Iron in turn increased production as it lasted longer and was cheaper, since it was domestically produced. As a result, agriculture became very important, as reflected in burial findings. A burial finding at Athens from around 850 B.C. contained a female corpse and her possessions such as gold rings and earrings, a necklace of glass beads from Egypt or Syria, and a chest of baked clay. The storage chest was painted in geometric shapes, after which the art style of that time received its name during the Dark Age (Martin 41). Another interesting finding on the chest was five beehive-like urns which were sculpted on its top (Martin 41). They were miniature models of granaries, indicating that granaries were of great importance during that time period (Martin 41). Based on this finding, archeologists assumed that agriculture picked up by 850 B.C. (Martin 41). Population too increased, as judged from the increasing number of graves (Morris 23).

Religion played an important role in burial ceremonies. Greek gods demanded proper burial for family members (Martin 125). By the fifth century, offerings at tombs of relatives were found for common citizens and not just the elites (Martin 128). Hero cults were important to ancient Greeks. Important deceased individuals were worshipped as their remains were believed to possess power (Martin 128). Such was the case of hero Theseus during the Battle of Marathon in 490 B.C., whose sighting was recorded, although he was already dead (Martin 128 – 129). His bones were brought to Athens and worshipped (Martin 129).

Lamentation was important already in the Mycenaean society. Lamentation was the central part of burial ceremonies (Stevanovic 38). They go as far as 1,600 B.C. (Stevanovic 38). Mourners were found on painted sarcophagi from the end of the Bronze Age in Tanagra in Boetia (Stevanovic 38). It continued throughout Classical Greece as well (Stevanovic 38). Homer too described lamentation of men, in this particular case Achilles mourning the death of Patroklos:

A dark cloud of grief fell upon Achilles as he listened. He filled both hands with dust from off the ground, and poured it over his head, disfiguring his comely face, and letting the refuse settle over his shirt so fair and new. He flung himself down all huge and hugely at full length, and tore his hair with his hands (Iliad XVIII, 22-27).

Lamentation was important to both genders, as represented by literary works such as the Illiad, which was written sometime after 700 B.C. (Morris 23). However, as democracy spread among Greeks, and women were restrained to the private sphere, so to were they not allowed to lament in public anymore. The Athenian legislation of Solon from the 6th century B.C. prohibited large funerals and lamentation in public for anyone who was not the closest kin (Stevanovic 45). Similarly, grave goods too were no longer buried after 700 B.C. Only vases were often placed in surface deposits (Morris 22). Grave markers reached a peek by mid sixth century (Morris 22).

After 700 B.C., cremation and grave markers became the norm for adults. “The body was burned on a pyre within a pit grave” (Morris 21). Children, on the other hand, were buried in vases (Morris). Adult graves were covered by mounds, whose size kept on increasing after 650 B.C. (Morris 21). The more influential the person was, the larger was the mound and the pyre (Morris 46). By 500 B.C., children were inhumed in clay tubs made from roof tiles (Morris 22). Denial of burial was highly ostracizing, and was only done to those who clashed with laws of gods or men, as portrayed in Antigone. Burial, on the other hand, symbolized an everlasting cycle of life for the community and was treated as a rite of passage (Morris 47, 51). Sacrifices were done on pyre instead of being buried with the remains (Morris 47). Still, in places such as Sparta honor remained the principal criterion for burials. Only heroes on battlefields or women who died in childbirth were allowed elaborate funerals (Morris 50). Nothing changed for Classical Athens either (Morris 50). Tombs also served as evidence of patronymics (Morris 50).

Few changes occurred in Classical Greece. The Classical Period lasted during the fourth and fifth century B.C. The hero as a phenomenon was still worshipped, and hero cults remained present (Antonaccio 391). Tomb cults too remained present. Ancestral worship turned sometimes into hero cults (Antonaccio 397). However, in case of tomb cults, visits were done once or twice, unlike in hero cults, where the remains were continually worshipped (Antonaccio 402). Moreover, ancestral worship became limited to only three generations (Antonaccio 401). Graves were used, but by different families (Antonaccio 402). Both, hero and tomb cults were present.

Burial customs were connected and compared to the political events and social order. In Antigone, dating to around 441 B.C., a dilemma between the family’s duty to bury the dead and the need to preserve order in a male – dominated society was presented. Her uncle Creon, the new ruler of Thebes who replaced her father Oedipus, forbade Antigone to bury one of her brothers, Polyneices, whom he considered a traitor (Sophocles 20 – 30). This brother attacked another brother who refused to share the kingship, Eteocles. Both died and the uncle became the king. Antigone buried both of them and thud disobeyed the king. King’s wife and son committed suicide next to Antigone and the king realized he punished Antigone unjustly (Sophocles 1240, 1282, 1340). He acted undemocratically and thus also against gods, who Antigone obeyed (Hall). Antigone followed the “sacred laws that Heaven holds in honour” (Sophocles 77). Thus, religious life was used as the pure, uncorrupt code of behavior, and it was contrasted to the corrupt political life. It can be deduced from Antigone that religion was placed higher than social power in ancient Greek culture in case of heroes.

Heroes always received a special position in Greek society. They protected the society, and were the wealthiest and most prominent citizens. Females dying in childbirth were too of special importance. Continuity and survival were very important to ancient Greeks. However, death did not imply an end. They worshipped their dead and believed that they could protect them in battle. Death was just a stage of life.

Works cited

Antonaccio, Carla M. “Contesting the Past: Hero Cult, Tomb Cult, and Epic in Early Greece.”

American Journal of Archaeology 98. 3 (1994): 389-410. Web. 23 May 2012.

Hall, Edith. “Introduction.” In Antigone, King Oedipus and Electra. Kitto, H.D.F. Oxford:

Oxford University Press, 1962. Print.

Homer. Illiad. In Stevanovic, Lada. “Funeral Ritual and Power: Farewelling the Dead in the

Ancient Greek Funerary Ritual.” Bulletin of the Institute of Ethnography SASA LVI I.2 (2009): 37 – 52. Web. 23 May 2012.

Martin, Thomas. Ancient Greece: From Prehistoric to Hellenistic Times. Yale: Yale

University Press, 1996. Print.

Morris, Ioan. Burial and Ancient Society: The Rise of the Greek City State. Cambridge:

Cambridge University Press, 1987. Print.

Sophocles. Antigone. In Antigone, King Oedipus and Electra. Kitto, H.D.F. Oxford: Oxford

University Press, 1962. Print.

Stevanovic, Lada. “Funeral Ritual and Power: Farewelling the Dead in the Ancient Greek

Funerary Ritual.” Bulletin of the Institute of Ethnography SASA LVI I.2 (2009): 37 – 52.

Web. 23 May 2012.

Film Analysis Essay- In a Better World By Susanne Bier

2012-07-20T08:51:00.003+05:00

Introduction:

‘In a Better World’ is a masterpiece directed by the Danish filmmaker Susanne Bier. This film has earned the 2011 Academy Award for the best foreign language film. The movie is written by Anders Thomas Jensen that revolves around the sense of right and wrong, prevails in the liberal western society. The main theme of the movie projects the central idea with grace without shedding blood as it happens in stereotypical movies.

Background of the Movie:

The movie revolves around the story of two families. The movie discusses the life of a doctor, Anton, who lives far away from his home servicing in a Sudanese refugee camp. His separation from his wife Marianne has made an impact on the lives of his two sons, specifically their separation has influenced on the life of his 12 years old son, Elias, who becomes the victim of school bullying. On the other hand, we have a life of Christian who has just shifted back to Denmark from London with his rich-businessman father, Claus. Both of the men are suffering from the death of Christian’s mother, who just died due to cancer. Christian accuses his father for hiding the real state of his mother’s condition till the last moments. With so much anger that is buried deep inside him, he confronts Elias’ oppressors. On one hand, the boys were trying to overcome the schoolyard bullying and, on the other hand, Anton is dealing with a challenging situation in the Sudanese refugee camp. His problem revolves around a person who terrifies his people by cutting open the stomach of the women he sexually assaulted and impregnated in order to verify the gender of his child. Anton is not sure whether he should or he should not save the life of such person.

Theme and Story of the Movie:

The theme of the movie revolves around justice, equality and freedom. Susanne Bier has projected the long-forgotten ethical and moral standards in this movie by projecting them through different characters. On one hand, we have Anton who is in a problematic situation of saving a warlord, who has enough terrified the people and the women by cutting open their bellies and indentifying the sex of the child and on the same hand, we have Christian, who is an angry young man that saves the life of Elias from his tormenters. The whole idea revolves around how Anton fulfills his commitment with his profession and how Christian establishes freedom for the young guy. The story also revolves around the complexities that have surrounded the relationships in the society. For instance, Christian relationship with his father, Anton’s with his wife and the emerging friendship between the young Christian and Elias. It projects that how relationships can influence a person’s life and how strong or weaker a person can become with or without a sincere relationship in his life. These are few of the things that people and society, in general, lack today.

The Message Conveyed Through the Movie and the American Society:

Though the greater proportion of the movie revolves around the Third World settings, but Susanne Bier has tried to convey the international message of love, peace, justice and equality all over the world. School bullying is a common incident that occurs in American society and majority of children are bullied by their seniors. These children become so much afraid from their tormenters that they hardly tell their parents about the bullying incidents. Susanne Bier has pinned the same idea through her movie, where Elias being bullied by the other school mates, hardly speaks up about the incident with his mother. Every year majority of children become the victims of school bullying in America. Secondly, according to the director, she has seen and met enough doctors in her life servicing in third world countries where they were supposed to treat the warlords, same as the one depicted in the movie. The movie is based on realities that are the part of everyone’s society. The director has tried to convey the idea that one can face the cruelty without becoming a beast oneself.

From Direction to Screen Writing, Film Editing and Acting:

Together, Susanne Bier and Anders Thomas Jensen have mutually collaborated in projecting the message rightly through their efforts in direction and screen writing. Both of them, has tried to compare and contrast the two scenarios, in Denmark and in Sudan, just to highlight the bitter realities and moreover, to emphasize that adults may also suffer and become open to different problematic scenarios in their lives; sometimes they have to deal with the unpleasant situations. But their idea of combining the two storylines together can be considered as superficial and distasteful. Susanne Bier and her screen writer have resembled the circumstances and lives of the young boys with the vicious horrifying rapist and murderer. The repeatedly shift in the storyline from African plotline to Danish setting generates the idea that efforts of the Sudanese to survive in the toughest conditions are not equal to the moral weight of the young boys’ minor problems. Those problems gradually turn into serious ones as the rage and anger in the young Christian increase that compel him to take revenge on his enemies but without destroying the essence of the film, the director has turned the film into safe movie making.

This is an emotional movie without any serious errors. The performances by the actors are just fine, the movie holds some of the very emotional scenes and performances and as the story progresses, the director has raised some interesting yet, thought provoking questions. The movie covers the general idea of relationships, the connection between different relations and human struggle to survive the death and win the life. The director has tried her level best to convey the ideas of morality and equality through various scenes. The scene where the doctor is stuck between his moral conscience to treat a vicious rapist and murderer and his inner self highlights the commitment of a doctor towards his patients regardless of anything.

Important Sequences in the Movie:

The film embodies moral commitment and ethical approach that we can observe in the character of Anton, a doctor. The most important part in the entire film is the one, where the warlord comes to Anton’s clinic in a Sudanese refugee camp to seek treatment. It is the most crucial part in the movie where Anton has to fight with the human inside him as a doctor who is committed to his profession and work. Regardless of any revenge, he provides the warlord the treatment he deserves as a patient from a doctor who strictly conforms to his profession’s code of ethics.

Secondly, we cannot miss another important sequence in the movie, where the garage mechanic gets involved with Anton in a dispute after their children quarrel with each other on swings, and Anton backs out of the dispute and refuses to get into any sort of fight. His action of backing out from the fight highlights his turn from his pacifism to Gandhian philosophy. Anton’s actions provoke Christian that he should do something to take the revenge on his enemy. And, therefore, both the young kids; Christian and Elias plans on creating their own pipe bombs after school by using gunpowder and other explosive materials gathered from disposed fireworks and getting instructions from the Internet. These are few of the most important sequences in the film where on one hand, there is an adult person who refuses to participate in any sort of fight with the other person and on the other hand, we have young lads who are keen to take revenge to satisfy their souls for being discriminated by the other people. These sequences has raised many questions in the minds of people which make them to think that is violence and taking revenge is more important than forgiving someone? Is there any justice? Why violence and brutality have become the essential components of the human character? Are compassion and forgiveness worthless?

The Connection between the Filmmaker and the Film:

In a Better World reflects the philosophy and ideals of Susanne Bier on ethical values and morality that are eliminating from our society day by day. Bier has emphasized on bringing dramatic changes in someone’s life through her movie. Her movie reflects her beliefs that how life can influence someone’s life in different ways. Bier has emphasized on the value of forgiving the other people with compassion and dignity that makes a person believe that humanity is still alive in this world. The film reveals her ideology about ethics and guilt conscience that prevail in almost every society. Like her other movies, Bier has projected the same idea of emotions, relations, their value and morality in this film as well. Bier stands as the strong supporter of family values, relationships and ethical actions that are the basic characteristics of human personality. In a Better World is the kind of melodrama that speaks about the realities of life without shedding blood. Like her previous movies, Bier has stressed on projecting and conveying emotions through her work in a way that they spell-bound the audiences without distracting their attention.

A Film with Danish and Sudanese Settings:

Bier has used international community, traditions and culture as essential components of her framework for the film. Bier has intertwined the tale around the family lives of people in living in different countries, their professions and bound by the boundaries and distances. Bier has projected the family values and relationships that are considered as the essential part of Danish society quite well in her movie. In Denmark, people emphasize more on family values and building the bond between them as compare to other things. At the same, Bier has revealed the violence, the human struggle between life and death, tribal violence, and miseries of the Sudanese people in her movie. She has tried to expose the miseries of the third world nation to the developed countries through her projection which has successfully gained the world’s attention towards Sudan and likewise countries. Bier has contrasted the lives and circumstances in warm Africa with those of chilly Danish green meadows. The movie provides a complete insight on the difference between the lives of the people from a third world country and a developed country. It is so obvious to analyze the miseries of Sudanese people that Bier has tried to expose through her lens and the way she has skillfully captured their norms and traditions, societal obligations and moral standards.

Conclusion:

Susan Bier has raised the most thought provoking ethical dilemma through her Danish melodrama, In a Better World that revolves around the lives of people living in two different countries under different circumstances. The movie received the Oscar’s Award for the Best Foreign Language Film. The movie reflects Bier’s ideas on morality, ethical values and violence that have surrounded the walls of human characters. The movie revolves around different people suffering from different dilemmas; a father battling with his profession in a remote troubled area of Africa, his son being bullied at the school and a young guy filled with rage and anger, who eventually becomes the mentor for the doctor’s son at school. The central idea of the movie revolves around is it necessary to take revenge or just forgiveness can solve many issues? Bier has left the questions on the audience to decide which is one is the most human side of the immortals; to forgive and forget or to revenge and satisfy your soul for being discriminated? Which one is more human?

Works Cited:

Bier, S. In a Better World. Denmark. Sony Pictures Classics (US) (2010).

Paradise Now

2012-07-20T08:47:00.001+05:00

The film Paradise Now is about two best friends, Said and Khaled, who are recruited to do suicide attacks on Tel Aviv. The major theme of this movie, in my opinion, is the oppression of the Palestinians at the hands of the Israelis. And, in this way, the film would, and should, make a difference to ordinary Americans, simply because America seems to be reflexively pro-Israel, no matter what Israel does in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. This film makes it known that the Palestinians, indeed, have a reason for their terrorists attacks, including suicide bombers such as Said and Khaled. Said and Khaled express a real sense of frustration about the “never-ending occupation,” and about how the Palestinians are marginalized by the Israelis. For instance, in Said and Khaled’s televised manifestos, in which they effectively say “goodbye” to their loved ones, while explaining why they are doing what they are doing, Khaled explains that the Israelis have refused compromise and view allowing Palestinians dignity and respect would be tantamount to the suicide of the Jewish state. Khaled talks about how the Israelis have patently refused even the hint of there being two states on the land, which would seem, to a reasonable person, to be a reasonable compromise. When viewing this particular film, it becomes increasingly obvious that the United States, in always supporting Israel, is operating with a tunnel vision, probably because the Israelis are considered to be a friend to the United States, and the United States has a heavy Jewish population. What is actually right and wrong about the conflict apparently does not factor into the United States policy regarding the Israeli homeland. And, with such a powerful ally as the United States on the side of the Israelis in the Palestine-Israeli conflict, the Palestinians do not have a voice. This is why the suicide bombers, and the other terrorist acts, are occurring – it is because of this sense of desperation about their plight. From the way that the movie portrays the conflict, it would be as if Jim Crow were still the law of the United States’ land, and the treatment of the blacks in Jim Crow were countenanced and approved of by the rest of the world, and the rest of the world was constantly taking the side of the United States government in oppressing the black American. I would imagine if that were the case, the United States would have the kind of long-running, violent conflict, without end, that is seen in Israel. With good reason.

Of course, only one side is being presented in this movie, which is fine – the movie does not have to be even-handed, nor should it be. It advocates a certain position, and this is the lens through which the audience views the overall conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians. That I came away from the movie impassioned about the shabby treatment of the Palestinians at the hand of the Israelis, and angry about how the United States is reflexively pro-Israel, which serves to only further oppress the Palestinians, means that the filmmaker has done his job. Intellectually, I understand that the conflict is much more complex than the movie shows, more complex than I would ever be able to grasp. However, this movie was very effective in portraying the side that it needs to. This is probably the reason why the film won so many accolades, such as an Oscar and a Golden Globe.

One of the techniques that the filmmaker uses to make the film’s message compelling is that he uses the story of two ordinary Palestinians, and gives them a backstory. The filmmaker shows them, early on, relaxing with a hookah between them, after getting off of work at the automobile junkyard. We see that Said has a potential girlfriend, and we also see Said’s family at home – his mother, his younger brother, etc. We know that Said and Khaled are flesh and blood, which gives them a sense of pathos. Too often, one hears about a suicide bomber in this café or that bus, and figure that the person who did it is some religious zealot, or is “other.” The filmmaker took care to show that Said and Khaled were not “other,” nor were they religious zealots. Said has a loving mother, who clearly worries about him. Khaled, too, has a loving mother, although the audience does not get to see her. However, Khaled made sure, in his taped confessional about why he is about to do a suicide attack, to directly address his mother. He added, in his address about how the Palestinians are oppressed, an aside to his mother, in which he told her where to buy water filters at a discounted price. He also expressed concern that his family would get into trouble for what he is about to do. It is as if the filmmaker is trying to show that these are two ordinary men, two “good men” who only are involved with suicide bombing because they felt that they have no other choice in the matter.

The filmmaker also makes use of the motif in this film. For instance, there is one unmistakable shot, right before the men are about to embark upon their suicide mission, which is meant to convey The Last Supper. There are twelve men around a long table, about to eat dinner, and the positions of the men around this table are virtually identical to the positions of the men around the table in Da Vinci’s masterpiece. This is one motif which is fleshed out by cinematography and direction, because the filmmaker obviously chose this shot and directed it in such a way that the audience is clear about the symbolism. The filmmaker is making the comparison to Jesus’ suffering and sacrifice, stating that the men’ sacrifice, while much less profound than Jesus’ sacrifice, nevertheless is one which his not for themselves, but for their people. Just like Jesus sacrificed himself for the good of mankind, the filmmaker is seeming to say, these men are sacrificing themselves so that, perhaps, one day, the Palestinians may have a better life. Just like Jesus sacrificed himself for a cause bigger than himself, so are Said and Khaled. This image may seem a little overblown and hyperbolic, but it is clear what the filmmaker is saying about the men’ sacrifices.

Another motif is that of water purification. This comes up in Khaled’s aside to his mother, as he is filming his goodbye and justification. As stated above, Khaled tells his mother where to find water filters for cheaper. At first, it seems as if this is a kind of throwaway line – that it is meant to show Khaled’s concern and love for his mother, because he is being a “good son” by trying to help her out in his final days. However, the cab driver who picks up Said later, after Said is on the run, not wanting to do the suicide bombings. Although it is relatively unclear, it seems that he cabdriver is Israeli, for he states that the water in Israel is unclean because of the Palestinians. Therefore, it seems that the issue of water purification is another theme.

The water purification could refer to Jesus again, because water is symbolic of Jesus. Jesus walked on water, and Jesus turned water into wine. Water is also used in baptism rituals in many different religions involved in Christianity. Water purification could also refer to the overall discriminatory way that the Israelis treat the Palestinians. The implication is that the Israelis see the Palestinians as dirty, and this is why the water is unclean. Perhaps the cabdriver was implying that the Palestinians are like rodents or pests, an overrun of which would also result in impure drinking water. This, in turn, would bring to mind the Nazis, who conflated the Jews in Germany to rats and other vermin. At any rate, to state that the Palestinians are the reason why the drinking water is impure is dehumanizing to them. Said obviously shows his displeasure with the cabdriver’s remarks, because he does not engage the cabdriver in conversation and looks obviously annoyed. Perhaps Said was tempted to detonate the bomb right there in the cab, taking out the cabdriver. One would not blame him if this were the case.

As far as the lighting and the sets, the filmmaker obviously used the lighting and sets to convey a sense of desperation in the men. Most of the lighting was dark, and most of the sets were desperate and rundown. From the very beginning of the movie, which is set in a junkyard, the audience knows how these two men live. Even when Said and Khaled are relaxing on a hilltop, smoking a hookah between them, the overall impression is one of desperation, simply because the audience can see the crowded city below. It is clear that the men are of that crowded city, and that the hilltop – with its relaxing breeze, and greenery – is simply a sojourn for the men before they have to go down to the crowded city and be a part of the morass. In turn, the image of the crowded city denotes how the Palestinians are forced to live – the Israelis have taken most of their land, and have forced them into a small part of land, in which all the Palestinians must live.

The darkness and dreariness of the sets continue throughout the film. The men meet in an abandoned building, which is decaying and depressing. Said’s home is dilapidated, and the scenes with his mother show this. His mother is cooking in a cramped kitchen, and it is evident that the home has peeling paint and is in poor condition. Said eats with his family in darkness. Darkness and dilapidation permeate the early scenes, which gives a sense of depression and gloom. Ironically, it is not until the men actually have the bombs strapped onto their bodies, and are going on their mission, does the sun come out and the light is allowed to filter throughout the men’s lives. Perhaps the filmmaker is stating that the darkness and depression is symbolic of the oppression that the men feel, while the light is symbolic of their liberation – they soon will be dead, which is one kind of liberation, but, more importantly, their acts are a part of the larger scheme of things and will help bring light to the Palestinian people. However, that said, the film also makes clear that Said and Khaled’s sacrifice will not really change anything. As long as the Israelis have the superior army, and as long as the Israelis are supported by the powerful Western world, especially the United States, the Palestinian oppression will not change, no matter how many suicide bombers demonstrate. The men know this, but, even so, they want to do their part.

While the filmmaker uses a variety of cinematic techniques to convey powerful symbolism, there are also important sequences throughout the film which are vital to the storyline. One of the sequences involves Said and Khaled on the hill, smoking a hookah, relaxing after the end of a stressful day at the junkyard. The opening scene shows an Israeli attempting to cheat the men, by stating that he would not pay for the repair to his car because it wasn’t straight, even though it clearly was. After a day like that, the men just needed to relax, and this scene is important because it shows the bond between the men, as well as conveys to the audience that these are two ordinary men. They bond together, they relax together, they smoke hookahs together – they are not the wild-eyed zealots that people may think of when they think of suicide bombers. Moreover, the scene is important because it shows the bond between the two men. It shows the friendship, and the audience is privy to this bond, friendship and fondness for one another early on. This is important, because it makes the closing scene all the more powerful and poignant. In the closing scene, Said tricks Khaled into thinking that they are both going to abandon the mission, and neither is going to go ahead with the suicide bomb. Said puts Khaled into a cab, and Khaled thinks that Said is going to get into the cab as well. However, Said does not get into the cab, and the cab drives off without him. Khaled, of course, is devastated, knowing that his lifelong friend would soon be dead. Therefore, the early bonding scenes, which show the friendship, is necessary to give this penultimate scene the emotional heft that it actually has.

Another important scene is the scene where Khaled is doing his confessional, and tells his mother about the water filters. This scene is important because it humanizes Khaled further, and, since Khaled’s home life is not featured in the way that Said’s home life is, not as much is known about the bond between Khaled and his family as is known about the bond between Said and his family. This confessional gives the audience a clue about the fondness that Khaled has for his mother, and shows him to be a good son. Once again, showing Khaled as a good son is in sharp contrast to the usual vision that one might have of a suicide bomber - suicide bombers tend to be stereotyped as fanatical men with no real ties to other people, aside from the people who recruit these individuals to do what they do.

One scene, or one shot rather, is also important to the movie, and that is a shot where Jamal, the leader of the resistance group with recuited Said and Khaled, has a look of pensive regret. This shot is important, because the audience realizes, perhaps for the first time, that Jamal does have human feelings about his recruits. Previously, Jamal is seen joking around with the men about the mission, and being very nonchalant about it. For instance, Khaled inquires about what happens after the bomb goes off. Jamal kind of brushes off the question, stating simply that two angels will pick them up. When Khaled presses him about this, Jamal changes the subject. Jamal appears to be insensitive to the fact that the two will soon be dead, although he isn’t necessarily a bad guy. His look in that one shot, however, reveals his true feelings.

A fourth scene which is important is the scene where Said is telling about being a part of a mob of demonstrators who burned down a cinema. Said’s erstwhile girlfriend, Suha, asks Said why he would burn down a cinema – what did the cinema ever do to him? Said explains that the demonstration was because of the fact that the Israelis were refusing to hire West Bank workers, and the demonstration resulted. This scene is important because it ties some of the earlier scenes together, and it also gives a picture of the discrimination that the Palestinians are feeling at the hands of the Israelis. The earlier scene that it ties together is the scene at the first where the fat Israeli man is trying to cheat the men by not paying for the repair to his car – because it “wasn’t straight.” This is an example of the discrimination that the Palestinians are facing as well, so the story about the cinema makes this earlier scene make more sense. It is as if verbalizing about the discrimination sheds light on the earlier acts of discrimination. Moreover, the scene gives voice to the sense of frustration that the Palestinians feel. Obviously, the Israelis are more or less in charge of the country, which means that the Palestinians must rely upon them for jobs. If the Israelis will not hire them, then they will not work. At that point, they would not be able to live. So, burning down the cinema is one way to voice the frustration, and the story that Said tells brings light to this.

The film also reveals much about the personality and interests of the filmmaker, Hany Abu-Assad. It is obvious that Abu-Assad is pro-Palestinian, and he has an interest in demonstrating to the world the plight of the Palestinians. His interest obviously lies in recognizing that much of the world is on Israel’s side, which gives Israel the power to do whatever it wants in the conflict. He obviously wants to show the world that there is another side to the conflict, even if his voice is futile in the end. As far as the personality of the filmmaker, he lends his characters humanizing depth – they have humor, they have dreams, they have regrets, they have families, they have love, etc. – and the filmmaker’s personality shines through the characters. Just as they are humanized, the filmmaker is as well.

As far as the insight given to the country’s unique customs and traditions, one of the customs which is highlighted is the use of the hookah. The hookah is mildly popular in the United States, but it seems to be a part of the everyday life of the two men. Another tradition which is highlighted in the film is the ritual of cutting the hair and shaving the beards of the two men before they go on their mission. Previously, both men had longish hair, and facial hair, but they had to be clean shaven and have short hair before the mission. What this symbolizes is unclear, but it seems to be a ritual or a tradition for the bombers to go through this.

Conclusion

Paradise Now is a film which is told through a very distinct point of view, that of the pro-Palestinian. This is obvious through the choices that the filmmaker makes – he makes the Israelis look discriminatory and the Palestinians are humanized. This is a very different worldview from what Americans are accustomed to seeing, but it is very effective. The two bombers are humanized throughout the film. In the process, the filmmaker makes not only the bombers themselves sympathetic, but the entire Palestinian cause.

In What Way Can We Characterize Inmate Literature?

2012-07-20T08:44:00.003+05:00

Introduction

Inmates live in a confinement with very limited access to the outside world and have restrained privileges. Despite this restriction, the prisoners have devised a technique of communicating to their fellows behind the prison walls, regardless of whether they know them personally or not. The communication has been achieved through inmate literature which is distributed from prisons to the outside world for others to have a rough glimpse of the feelings of these people who were once part of the society. The Open Line book (the editor of which is Michael C. Gallardo) written by inmates portrays feelings of prisoners. The question is how can we characterize inmate literature?

Inmates use literature for many purposes. The most prominent use of literary work by prisoners is to communicate to their loved ones back at home. Open Line gives evidences of inmates communicating to their families back at home through pieces of literature. Frank Valdivia, an inmate, communicates to his two daughters. He says, “I lost everything I had and everything I loved when I came to prison. But the person I was didn’t deserve any of it. There are people outside this wall that love you or that you love. They deserve the best, so be your best. I’m finally doing my best and my two daughters Kayla and Alicia deserve it.” (Gallardo 58) He uses literature to assure his two daughters that he is doing his best to become a changed person. Inmates also use literary work in criticizing unfair judgments in courts, especially towards young criminals who stand a better chance of rehabilitation. In Open Line, Charlie Spence indicates in his confession that underage criminals are not given a judgment as a juvenile but instead as adults. He says, “Had I been tried and convicted as a juvenile, I would have been given a better chance at rehabilitation and a second chance in society at the age of 25. I feel even more strongly now that I ever did back then, that trying juvenile offenders as adults and convicting them to life in prison is immoral.” (11) He feels that juvenile offenders should not be judged as adults, regardless of the magnitude of their crime, because they can easily be rehabilitated.

Inmates value the fact that, despite their misconducts, there are people out there who still care so much about them and would rather they came back into the society after serving their terms in prison. Evidences cited from the book Open Line prove this statement. For instance, Michael Endres, a prisoner, receives a letter from his daughter who does not even know him because he has been in prison since she was an infant. He says, “When I realized who the letter was from, I was surprised and shocked. While reading it, the emotions kicked into gear, I was tickled to death to know that she wanted to know me, and I was sad for her cause she didn’t know how I would feel about hearing from her. She didn’t know that her letter caused my heart to truly smile.” (34) This is an indication that Michael’s daughter loves him despite the fact that she does not know him because he has been in prison for such a long time. In addition to the love and affection from those outside, inmates also value the welfare of others who are yet to be convicted for various crimes. It is important to note how Charlie Spence, an inmate, advocates for the rights of juveniles, even though he is in prison. He gives a strong argument against the conviction of juveniles as adults when they are sentenced for life imprisonment which should not the passed on children. He says, “Juvenile offenders should be punished for serious crimes they commit, but as juveniles in juvenile facilities. The oldest that children can be tried as juveniles is seventeen an age that allows for eight years of time in which they have an opportunity to be rehabilitated.” (13) He is not really for the idea of convicting juveniles for life imprisonment because he is a victim of such circumstances. He goes ahead and says, “Juveniles are 7.7 times more likely to commit suicide in adult facilities than in juvenile facilities.”(13) This is an indication that he values the welfare of underage convicts who might be subjected to same conditions as his.

There are various themes that emerge from literature written by inmates. The most evident theme displayed by many inmate writers in the book Open line is their sadness from being in prison away from the society. They are not happy having to spend years behind bars without being close to their families who love them. Of course, this sad feeling makes them regret having committed the crimes that led to their conviction. A good example is brought forth by Frank Valdivia the prisoner. He says, “I am sad because I cannot be with my girls. I miss them all the time, I wonder how their lives unfurls, I wish I had signs, I wonder how they spend their day…life is not supposed to be this way.” (32) This is an indication that, if given a second chance, Frank would make things right in a bid to avoid imprisonment and be with his daughters. He would not repeat the same crimes and otherwise would be a good person in order to be there for his daughters whenever they need him. Another theme that comes up very spectacularly amongst inmates is that they are not very well accepted by the community. Inmates are loathed by the general public perhaps due to the fact that most of them are convicted for committing serious atrocities, which are unethical in the eyes of the society. In the event that a convict serves his term to completion and returns to the society, the disparity between him and the rest of the community is too big to an extent that he himself can feel that he is out of place. Through his literature work in the book Open Line, John O. Neblett says, “An ancient reaction to the deepest hurt, rejection is violence rejecting in turn, withdrawing the self to a hiding place no one can see. When they look in your eyes, a disguise is in place mimicking you…” (30).

Conclusion

Inmate literature has since formed a channel through which prisoners use to communicate their feelings to their friends, families, and the society at large. They use inmate literature to show their love to their families and express how much they miss them. Inmate literature shows how prisoners are concerned about the welfare of others, especially concerning unfair judgments. They also use this form of literature to show their deep regrets having to spend a better part of their lives locked behind bars. Inmate literature has been widely accepted by the general public and is viewed as a sensitization of the public.

Works CitedGallardo, Michael C., ed. Open Line. California: Prison University Project, 2009. Print.

Workplace Safety

2012-07-19T00:27:00.000+05:00

Abstract

This paper looks at the workplace safety at a power plant/energy plant. It highlights the major concerns on the site and off the site, the organizational roles in ensuring the safety of the employees and what employees should do to make sure of their safety. The paper focuses on an electric plant, the dangers involved with electric shocks and electrocutions and the various ways in which the associated problems can be addressed. In addition, the paper provides recommendations to the organization on how to reduce electric faults and ensuring of a working environment that ensures that employees stay safe in the course of their duties.

Workplace Safety

To ensure suitable standards of living, people have to engage in productive activities. Working is a daily and normal routine for any average human being who dreams of ever having a good life for his/her families. According to United States Congress House (2011), people go to different work places, working under different working conditions/environments. Do people ever look at the safeties at the work place? Do the conditions people work in appear safe to them? If not, what have they done or what are they doing to ensure a safe work place? I work in a power plant and I cannot guarantee that the working environment is entirely safe based on a number of reasons. Based on this, the immediate team was given the task of conducting a research on the safety risks on the site and pinpointed the key solutions to detected risks.

Thesis Statement

This research paper is aimed at looking at the various risks that employees are exposed to in the workplaces, narrowing down the research to focus on power plant risks, exploring their possible causes and how these risks can be addressed for maximum workplace safety.

Objective

To provide employees with a suitable and safe working environment for their continued efforts towards fulfilling the desired goals of the organization

Planning

To kick off the research, it was critical to put in place suitable plans to arrive at solutions to our problem. The first step was to identify the safety hazards in the organization, which involved collection of relevant data from different employees including the managerial team. This is a crucial step as it gives the different platforms on which to base the research. This was in regards to the views of the employees and the management although employees’ views are hardly similar in any organization. These facts were to help in the definition of the problem so as to start the research on how to solve the problem, and truly, they were productive (Spear 1999).

Problem Definition

Approximately 300 people globally die owing to electric faults, leaving thousands injured (Revae 2010). These faults may be minor, and in some cases, major. During this research, most of the minor faults were found to be as a result of negligence by either the organizational management and/or employees. However, a few of the major faults are a result of technical faults, which to some extent point towards management and/or employee negligence. The best part of this problem is that it can be controlled if suitable stern measures are put in place and strictly adhered to with consequences of failure to adherence being quite harsh as stated by Aloise (2010).

Data Collection

Collection of data was conducted in two major ways: questionnaires and observations. Observation was chosen because those who carried out the research are among the employees and a combination of junior and senior managers and are always on site during working hours. The questionnaire, on the other hand, was preferred to interviews with regard to senior-most managers who are rarely on site for it is easy to fill and submit with minimal time wastage.

Data Evaluation/Analysis

After effective collection of data, it was necessary to present the analyzed data to the management so as it can be put into effect. During the research, a number of safety issues were detected within the organization. From the questionnaire, we asked five questions and collected samples from fifteen different respondents. According to the results collected from the fifteen respondents on the first question, it was found out that most of the workers in the plant had suffered from electric shocks while working in the fields and even some in the office, with the appliances they use. It was alarming to find out that many of the office electric appliances lacked proper insulation, which was the cause of most of the shocks. Outside the office, employees lack proper equipment like gloves to protect themselves from the electric shocks. This is a clear indication that the organization is working below per since such errors should not be allowed. Most employees complained of using old equipment that did not guarantee maximum protection, and most of the appliances also had the same problem of being too old.

Accidents occur in our day to day lives, and when they do, we should be able to have first hand treatment in place to maintain the injured in good shape until they get to a proper medical facility. Results from these questionnaires show that the first aid team in the organization is not efficient enough, and in some cases, it is totally unavailable. When asked about the kind of medication they got when they suffered electric shocks, most of the employees claimed that nothing was done but they had to wait patiently until the shock was over. This is incorrect for an organization that deals with energy supplies of very high voltages since severe electrocutions can lead to death.

Inside the offices, it was observed that many departments did not have fire extinguishers, which is a massive blow to the organization. It is advised that one should always prepare for fire accidents through acquisition of a fire extinguisher. In this case, for a power plant that deals with high levels of energy the chances of a fire occurring due to electric faults are remarkably high. In addition, first aid kits should be supplied in each and every department and every employee should also be educated on all the basic first aid procedures to be administered to individuals who suffer from electrocutions and related incidents.

When errors occur, we always find suitable ways or methods to revert to the normal situation. One major problem in the organization is that nothing much has been done or is being done to solve these problems of shocks at the various stations of work. To make matters worse, there are no future plans in progress to deal with the situation as the results show. When a system error occurs, it probably had a causal agent and when one does little or even does nothing to solve that problem, this is tantamount to inviting more trouble. The results from the questionnaire show that the organization has not done anything to prevent future shocks and electrifications. In essence, the least they can do is install warning signs all over in and around the danger zones. These signs should caution employees about the dangers involved with mishandling of such areas. In addition, electricity cables without insulators should be insulated properly to prevent further shocks and electrifications. The acquisition new safety equipment was the primary subject since most of the employees complained of using old safety equipment and appliances.

Mixed reactions were realized in the case of whom or what was the cause of most electric faults. Most employees blamed the old appliances for the faults, with a number of them citing ignorance of some employees causing the faults. A case where one handles electric appliances with wet hands when there is a clear warning on the appliance is surely complete ignorance. This is where measures by the organization have to be strict, and those who jeopardize the safety of other employees need to be punished owing to such ignorance. On the other hand, old appliances should be replaced in order to reduce the electric faults associated with them.

Findings regarding observations were based on observing the working traits of employees mainly without their knowledge, and coming to conclusion on the way their behavior can be a safety hazard. A number of conclusions were drawn:

i. Most employees do not have proper safety equipments like helmets, proper shoes and gloves (Aloise 2010).

ii. A few of the employees come to the site with fluids.

iii. There are no safety cautions/signs on site for the workers to observe (Akinyele 2010).

iv. There are no standard rules and regulations regarding the safety procedures of the organization (Akinyele 2010).

v. There are no efficient communication channels in the organization (Aloise 2010).

vi. There is no direct control of power i.e. a supervisor to monitor the operations on site.

Recommendations

According to the data we collected and sampled, it is evident that the organization is running under enormous safety risks, which the organization and employees are doing too little to alleviate them(Revae 2010). It is for this reason that the research team came up with a number of recommendations for the organization to put in place so as to ensure that the safety of employees is guaranteed. It is necessary for any individual going through this paper to note that these recommendations are not only for power plants, but they also apply to the general safety of other workplaces.

i. It is the duty of the management to ensure that all employees are well trained in a given before hiring. Failure to have clear knowledge of one’s job may result in damage and injuries.

ii. Make sure that there is a qualified supervisor on site to control the operations of junior employees.

iii. The supervisor should make sure that all the employees are doing their work accordingly i.e. using the appropriate tools for the specific job.

iv. All employees, including the supervisor, should wear protective equipment while on site to reduce the risk of electrocutions i.e. clothing, boots, gloves and helmets.

v. All circuits and electric conductors should be tested before they are installed to avoid shocks.

vi. All the other equipment should be kept far from the power sources.

vii. All naked electric wires should be insulated to avoid contact with people or water.

viii. The organization should lay down strategic guidelines regarding safety of its employees.

ix. There should be severe consequences to those fail to adhere to the safety rules in place.

With this knowledge, organizations and employees will abide by all safety rules, and this will bear fruits and reduce deaths and injuries caused by electrical faults. Other evident safety hazards at work places will also be unearthed thereby guaranteeing a safer and more enjoyable workplace. In conclusion, workplaces, specifically power plants, provide numerous risks to their employees and these risks are caused by different factors or people. These risks of course can be handled if proper management and control systems exist. It is evident that employees at various power plants face numerous and dangerous risks while in the line of duty. It also shows that the risks are caused by either the employees, the organization or in some cases mechanical or technical faults. Organizations are stepping up their efforts towards reducing these risks by introducing policies that ensure employees are safe at their work places to avoid injuries and death of employees and property damage to the organization. It is the responsibility of the organization and its employees to work hand in hand to ensure that these safety rules and regulations are adhered to so as to reduce, if not to stop, the safety risks that are faced at the workplaces (Penland 2010). It is crucial to mitigate risks at all cost as their occurrence leaves destruction and even loss of lives.

References Akinyele, S. T. (2010). The influence of work environment on workers’ productivity: A case of selected oil and gas industry in Lagos, Nigeria. African Journal of Business Management, 4(3), 299-307.

Aloise, G. (2010). Nuclear and worker safety: Limited information exist on costs and reasons for work stoppages at DoE’s Hanford site. DIANE Publishing, 17-19, 47-58.

Penland, D. (2010). Increase profits through workplace safety. Jacksonville Business Journal.

Revae, E. M. (2010). Workplace safety and health: Enhancing OSHAs records audit process could improve the accuracy of worker injury and illness data. DIANE Publishing, 35, 47-58.

United States Congress House (2011). Workplace safety: Why do millions of workers remain without OSHA coverage? General Books LLC, 12-27.

Appendix

Questionnaire

i. Do the appliances you work with provide you with maximum protection from electrocutions?

MAXIMUM PROTECTION	THEY DO NOT
2	13

ii. Have you ever been a victim of an electric shock?

YES	NO
14	1

iii. Is the recovery team good enough after minor or severe electric shocks?

YES	NO
5	10

iv. Has anything been done to control, if any, the occurrence of electric shocks?

YES	NO
4	11

v. Is the cause of electric faults in the organization human or mechanical?

HUMAN	MECHANICAL
6	9

The Entrepreneurial Process

2012-07-19T00:15:00.002+05:00

There are numerous theories that seek to explain entrepreneurial process. What is clear for many scholars and economists is that the process involves identifiable stages. For example, Acs and Audretsch (2010, pp.234) suggested that it is not unlike the scientific process of conjecture and refutation wherein beginning is a discovery of opportunity:

The discovery is like the scientist's conjecture.. The entrepreneur tests the conjecture by, say, conducting market research or talking to a trusted advisor... The entrepreneur will apply what he learns to modify the original business conception.

There are other explanations that have similar thread and they all cite a logical procedure by which entrepreneurship and enterprise emerges and flourishes. This paper will argue in favor of some of these theories but also posit how two important variables are critical in the entrepreneurial development: in addition to the environment by which the process operates in, there is the fundamental element of the person, the entrepreneur. The idea is that the process begins with people who have the aptitude, skills, preference and desire to establish a business. What this means is that the process goes far beyond a simple discovery of opportunity. It is rooted on the motivations and desires of individuals, this is what drives people to become entrepreneur and be effective and successful in pursuing their entrepreneurial objectives. These variables are best depicted in the experience of Shane Eten and his FEED Resource Project wherein he aimed to build an anaerobic digester and make money in the process.

Before Eten became an innovator and an entrepreneur, selling his business plan for grants then to venture capitalists, he was first a student and an employee. Together with his upbringing, these stages in his life cultivated a character that is typified by restlessness, ambition and vision. Without these factors, Eten would not have the capability to discover opportunities. His personal preferences, behavior and abilities as influenced by his environment as he grew up into adult life, were responsible for the motivations, acumen and decision-making capabilities. For example, Eten liked his work at the startup company Angstrom Micro Systems because his job was never the same day-to-day. At the apex of this aspect is the question why there are people who start businesses as opposed to those who want to work for others. The dominant theory explains that there are those who are more inclined to become entrepreneurs either because of their work temperament, character and skills. The theoretical literature is not short on evidences supporting this view. For instance, according to Carsrud and Brannback (2009, pp.143), "not everyone fits into the role of an employee working for another person within an organization," because, "some decide to blaze their own trail through the business world." In similar vein, Kuratko and Hodgetts (2008, pp.44) theorized that the role of the individual is important, particularly his or her psychological profile because this individual is the energizer of the entrepreneurial process. The aptitude that is dependent on individual characteristics has been highlighted by Morris, Kuratko and Covin (2010, pp.180) who explained that an entrepreneur must be creative to design solutions for challenges and obstacles entailed in the entrepreneurial process. Eten demonstrated these various attributes. He loved working for the highly dynamic IT company. Afterwards, he was forced to adapt to the negative developments in his career. Then, finally, he was able to spot an opportunity to establish his own business and worked for its realization.

Now, after the focus on the human agency perspective, there is also the case of the entrepreneurial process, which highlights the part played by the environment. In the experience of Shane Eten, this is demonstrated in highly structured procedures by which his ideas were turned into reality. First, he applied for grants and his business proposals were favorably received. Then, he sought out venture capitalists, when he realized that the grants were not enough to bankroll his anaerobic digester. Afterwards, he formed his own team so that he would be able to deliver the requirements of the capitalists investing in realizing his enterprise. It is clear how there is a linear structure to the process by which entrepreneurs discover opportunities and solve challenges. Other variables also come into play. For instance, there is the case of education and networking as well as institutional tools that allow entrepreneurs to create, modify and improve on their ideas. Education allows entrepreneurs to identify opportunities and also draft successful business plans. This is important because these two concepts are different from each other. The theory is that ideas may be considered entrepreneurial trash or simply commonplace as they could abound like the sand on the beach. Business opportunities, on the other hand, are much more important since it could satisfy existing customer needs (Hess and Goetz, 2008, pp.10). So education and skills enable entrepreneur to successfully filter the ideas that are not economically feasible from the opportunities that could deliver profit.

After working, Eten, went back to school, where he began his attempt to launch his own business. At school, he was able to do intensive research and, finally, identify his area of business interest, which was in the CleanTech industry. Then, through networking, he was able to identify institutions and organizations who were able to give him grants for his business plan. His network was also able to provide him with opportunities available among venture capitalists. This particular networking variable is important in the business process. First, the said process is considered to be about the economic as well as social value creation; and, secondly, it is an emergent and ongoing process that entails business opportunities constantly and managing the process of growth (Karatas-Ozkan and Chell, 2010, pp.30). Networking solved, for Eten, the dilemma of launching his business successfully. Along the way, he realized that he cannot do everything alone: he needed financial resources from venture capitalists and he needed the manpower to implement his vision.

It is clear, as depicted in Shane Eten’s experience that launching one’s own business may not be for everyone. This is the reason why there are people who fail and who succeed in their business ventures. Individual motivation, drive and even optimism figure prominently here. An entrepreneur must, first, have the temperament, character and skills. Entrepreneurship calls for creativity, boldness, patience and vision. This is because the entrepreneurial process involves tasks that require leadership, innovation, ability to adapt to the dynamism and fluidity of the business landscape.

References Acs, Z. and Audretsch, D., 2010. Handbook of Entrepreneurship Research: An Interdisciplinary Survey and Introduction. Berlin: Springer.

Carsrud, A. and Brannback, M., 2009. Understanding the Entrepreneurial Mind: Opening the Black Box. Berlin: Springer.

Hess, E. and Goetz, C., 2008. So, You Want to Start a Business?: 8 Steps to Take Before Making the Leap. Upper Saddle, NJ: FT Press.

Karatas-Ozkan, M. and Chell, E., 2010. Nascent Entrepreneurship and Learning. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing.

Kuratko, D. and Hodgetts, R., 2008. Entrepreneurship: Theory, Process, Practice. New York: Cengage Learning.

Morris, M., Kuratko, D. and Covin, J., 2010. Corporate Entrepreneurship & Innovation. New York: Cengage Learning.

The Price of Salt

2012-07-19T00:11:00.003+05:00

The Price of Salt by Highsmith Patricia was first published in 1952 and was flaunted as the novel of love society forbids. It is categorised under Classic literature and is a tale of sexual obsession toward a gender that was considered inappropriate in the society. This book is made up of two main characters, Carol Aird and Therese. Other characters get introduced as the plot develops, but the story mainly surrounds these two women.

The inspiration behind this publication, as explained by Highsmith, was a woman she met in brief. Highsmith, then a 27 year old Bloomingdale employee, sold a doll to Kathleen Seen, a beautiful blonde lady. Despite the fact that the encounter was brief, Highsmith could not forget the lady. Soon after Highsmith got sick with chickenpox, and in her bedridden state, the plot details of this novel played out in her mind. Highsmith retained Senn’s credit card details and soon began spying on her. This informed the plot of the novel, The Price of Salt. This novel is viewed as a representation of what would have unfolded, had Highsmith pursued Senn (Highsmith 2).

The novel starts when Carol described as an elegant woman walks into a store where Therese, then 19 years old, was working over Christmas. The writer describes Therese as a lonely young woman who had just moved to Manhattan, New York to pursue being a theatre set designer, the career of her dreams. The plot development in the poem revolves around these two main characters. After meeting in the department store, Therese attains Carols address for shipping reasons and follows her impulse to send her a card. Carol responds and the two start spending time together. Carol gets described as “lonely” in the novel because she got entangled in a divorce process with her husband Harge (Highsmith 51). We get informed about Therese’s love life too. She is going out with Richard despite the fact that she feels neither love nor attraction for him as depicted in the text. “She was never truly interested in any of the myriad of boys and men who showed interest in her” (Highsmith 86).

As Therese spends time with Carol, she realizes that she loves her. Therese’s attraction to Carol keeps growing, and she develops a strong liking for her. This is captured in the novel when the writer explores Therese’s feelings towards Carol. “Was it love or not that she felt for Carol? How absurd was it that she did not even know. She had heard about girls falling in love, and she knew what kind of people they were and what they looked like. Neither she nor Carol looked like that. Yet the way she felt about Carol passed all the tests for love and fitted all the descriptions” (Highsmith 98).

Richard somewhat senses this but simply brushes it off as a schoolgirl crush (Highsmith 89). Harge, Carol’s husband gets suspicious of the relationship between the two ladies when he meets Therese at Carol’s house briefly. His suspicions arose because of the previous knowledge he had regarding Carol’s homosexual relationship with her friend, Abby. Harge later takes Rindy to live at his place, far away from Carol (Highsmith 103).

This book mainly focuses on one gender, women. This is so because it oscillates around the lives of two women, Carol and Therese. Whereas a few male characters like Harge and Richard get introduced in snippets in the book, the main characters in the book are females. Some even think that the book was meant for a feminine audience due to its theme and setting. This could be thought of as confusing because in the 1950s when the book got published, women were clearly treated like the inferior gender, while men were domineering. Interestingly, the novel breaks this expectation and the gender that takes a front seat in the novel is the female gender (Highsmith 57).

Pursuing their natural attraction to one another Carol and Therese go on a road trip so as to ease the tension at home. It is in this road trip that their relationship blossoms and their feelings for one another become evident. Their suspicious relationship graduates into one full of romance and sex. They proclaim their love for one another and get both emotionally and physically intimate as explained in the book. “Carol kissed her on the lips and pleasure leaped in Therese again. Her arms were tight around Carol, and she was conscious of Carol and nothing else. Her body too seemed to vanish in widening circles that leaped further and further, beyond where thought could follow” (Highsmith 135). They later find out that a detective was hired to spy on them throughout their road trip. Harge states that their rooms got bugged by this detective and incriminating evidence was collected (Highsmith 29).

The sexual orientation of the main characters in the novel cannot go unnoticed. Harge and Richard’s initial suspicion get confirmed when the two ladies declare love for each other, and get sexually intimate. This brings out the lesbianism context in the novel. Surprisingly enough, before these women fell in love with one another, they got involved in heterosexual relationships. The shift to a homosexual relationship was expected (Highsmith 31). The sexual orientation depicted in the novel leans towards lesbianism, which along with male homosexuality was still viewed by large sects of society through discriminating eyes. There is a constant shift between homosexuality and heterosexuality that leads to theme confusion. Considering the period in which this novel is written this was necessary because society would have utterly rejected the novel, had it been a purely lesbian one with a happy ending. This is because same sex desire was still highly discriminated against; so much that every lesbian novel had to have a tormenting ending. Despite the novels shifty manoeuvring between homosexuality and heterosexuality, it was inevitably categorised as a lesbian novel. This proved to be quite profitable as the novel sold over a million paperback copies.

Although the sexual relations between the two is turning out to be both intense and erotically charged, so much so that it is described in nearly hallucinatory terms, there is no evidence of yearning causing the relationship to dry up as fast as it blossomed. The intensity of love and attraction between Therese and Carol fades away quickly and the problems that Carol is going through with respect to divorce and custody hearings, add salt to the injury. Therese happens to be the victim of a mother who is not only absent, but also rejects her, something that leads her to fall in love with another supposed absent mother. Carol, unlike Therese’s mother, is so affectionate towards her daughter Rindy that she is willing to relinquish anything to secure her happiness. Therefore, for this love affair to be possible Rindy must be expelled from the picture or else Therese is at risk of becoming a measly stepchild in this complex relationship triangle (Highsmith 87).

The conspicuous disconnect in this affair gets triggered by Therese’s concern over being loved less as compared to Rindy, along with contradictory feelings of Carol concerning the possibility of sacrificing her child if she has the intentions of keeping her young lover. Although Highsmith in some measure is successful in concealing the chemistry holding Carol and Theresa in their implausible relationship, she allows unexpected flashes of it to come out. For instance, there is a moment in one of Therese’s visitations to Carols home, whereby she imperiously orders Therese to go to bed by herself as explained in the book. “Go ahead. I am not ready for bed yet” (Highsmith 124). Therese’s emotional response was one of complete submission to the desires of Carol. There is an obvious perception that the center of this connection might be tacitly comprehended by Carol, as well as Therese as being sado-masochistic (Highsmith 88).

Highsmith’s writing is not beautiful; rather, it is fair to express it as being not only dense, but also plodding. One gets drawn off into the seething sea under the impermeable layer of detailed ordinariness. The normal happens to be just a blanket under which all these suppressed impulses, as well as compulsions of an arousing sexual identity become ceaselessly agitated. The outer realism of heterosexual supposition with its convictions is totally unremarkable, monotonous, as well as quotidian (Highsmith 90).

The gradual acceptance of lesbianism as a way of life for women could be viewed as a shift of balance that characterised modernism. Initially ancient societies were homophobic. The novel got published in 1952, and did not face as much criticism as was expected leading to audiences across the reading elite to love the book. The society at that time still viewed lesbianism sceptically to some extent. Carol’s lesbianism presented in court would be incriminating and reduce the chances of her winning custody of their daughter. This shows that the society still looked at lesbianism as a vice, and the manifestation of moral decadence.

Evidence of post modernism in the book gets shown when we read about the detective sent to gather incriminatory evidence against Carol during the child custody hearings. The private investigator is a signature figure in almost all Highsmith books. The investigator taps the house in which Therese and Carol first engage in sexual intercourse. Carol confronts the private investigator, whose cover got blown, and demands an explanation. The investigator agrees to sell some of the tapes containing the incriminating evidence. He goes on and tells Carole that he had already sent some of the tapes to her husband in New York (Highsmith 78). The use of bugging devices and private investigators, characteristic of the first and Second World War could be viewed as an indicator of post modernism.

This post modernism theme is also evident through the widespread acceptance of lesbianism and homosexual tendencies. No one gets caught aback by lesbians anymore. This newly found acceptance of lesbianism among women gets expressed in the book and could be considered as the onset of modernism. People in modern societies, unlike the ancient ones, were free to engage in activities that got previously prohibited. Lesbianism was one such outlawed activity.

It is obvious that Highsmith happens to be familiar with this experience considering that, in the late 40′s, she visits a therapist in a failed attempt to alter her sexual orientation so as to marry Marc Brandel, who was her fiancé at that time (Highsmith 187). She even went to the lengths of taking the job at Bloomingdales so as to pay for the therapy. Both Therese and Highsmith initially wrestle with the thought of being lesbians in the full glare of the public. For Therese, the dilemma of not understanding what her sexual orientation is happens to be a gradual process that slowly leads to the conclusive discovery of what she is not.

Unlike other Lesbian pulp novels of the time, Highsmith’s style of writing is graceful, to the point and efficient. The novel consists of passages of immense narrative prowess that displays the relationship between Carol and Therese as complicated and layered. The writer creates confusion by alluding to a constant erotic undercut in the interaction between Therese and Carol. This is because evidences of maternal instincts on the part of Carol and the yearning for motherly love on the part of Therese are evident. The relationship between the two could be looked at as maternal, as well as erotic. Carol treats Therese like her baby, and Therese does not seem to mind it since she lacked the motherly love growing up. Therese later sheds off her childish persona and starts engaging Carol like an adult (Highsmith 152). This is shown when Therese gets into an argument with Carol, and instead of submitting to Carol, like her young daughter would; the two get involved in a fight where Highsmith explains that there was sporadic arm twisting, together with head pulling, and the risk of a foot slipping (Highsmith 157).

The book should have sold sex as a theme as it falls under the category of Lesbian pulp. The book fails to do this as Highsmith only alludes to sexual tension and attraction between Carol and Therese. The two lesbians engage in sexual intercourse on several occasions. The writer quickly rushes through these scenes, and there is no vivid description of sexual activity between Therese and Carol. The theme of lesbianism and queer sexual orientation did not get captured enough. This being a book on lesbianism, readers expected a taste of the explicit sexual encounters between the two women. A good way to capture this would be through the exposure of the evidence collected by the private investigator hired by Harge (Highsmith 112).

After the unlikely pair had toured Ohio, Minneapolis, Pennsylvania, Salt Lake City, Colorado Springs, Chicago, Denver and Sioux Falls, Carols motherly instincts finally kick in, and she abandons Therese out west to go home to fight for Rindy’s custody. She ends the relationship with Therese, leaving her supposedly heartbroken. Carol writes a breakup letter to Therese, trying to explain the reasons why she made that decision. She explains in the letter that their relationship, which society considered as a vice, had brought about degeneration as was predicted by many. “It was said or at least implied yesterday that my present course would bring me to the depths of human vice and degeneration. Yes, I have sunk a fair deal since they took you from me. It is true, if I were to go on like this and be spied upon, attacked, never possessing one person long enough so that knowledge of a person is a superficial thing—that is degeneration” (Highsmith 112).

Therese later heads back to New York and the strength of her character is evident as she rebuilds her life again. She experiences a dramatic revolution from passive girl to self-asserting adult (liberation lesbian etc). She gets her dream job and moves on with her life. The time spent apart from each other enables both Therese and Carol to think about their impending relationship (Highsmith 156).

The court battle in New York ends with Carol losing. Carol writes her a rambling letter admitting that she had no intentions of challenging the claim by Harge for the custody of Rindy. Harge agrees to Carol’s plea to visit Rindy occasionally on condition that she stops seeing Therese. Therese makes a decision of taking dominion over her life after absorbing the blow to her heart due to the break up with Carol. She suddenly achieves a perspective of herself. “She thought of this as the perfect time to rebuild her life” (Highsmith 166), while, at the same time taking a temporary job so as to experience the life she plans to abandon. She then gets a genuine job of a set designer within New York. Therese consents to the request from Carol of seeing and speaking with her thereby bringing out the gleam of fever that was apparent in their first encounter (Highsmith 169).

The novel ends with the possibility of Therese and carol being happy. This creates heightened uncertainty in as far as the conclusion gets concerned. There is a suggestion that Therese and Carole might remain a couple and live happily together. Many critics view this as an anti climax as the eventuality of the homosexual relationship is unclear.

Work Cited
Highsmith, Patricia. The Price of Salt. Chicago: W.W. Norton, 2004.

The Kid with a Bike

2012-07-18T23:49:00.007+05:00

Film Analysis Essay

Title: The Kid with a Bike
Genre: Drama
Tagline: The undeniable fact is that a child’s heaven is his own parents.
Directed by: Jean Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne
Writers: Jean Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne
Lead Cast: Thomas Doret (Cyril), Cecile De France (Samantha)
Duration: 87 minutes

Brief synopsis:

The story of a young boy going through turbulent times in his early youth comes across series of events that his untamed childhood can barely withstand. The movie covers series of actions that takes place in the child’s life while he is still pretty young. The movie also has another character in lead, in form of the affectionate hairdresser Samantha. Both the leads play their role in a very crafty manner and have lived up to the expectations one can build up from such a role and story.

While the duo brothers have earned kudos all around for the directional performance, the movie is a critically acclaimed one and has won major awards across the board and even made it to Cannes Film Festival in 2011.

What is the film about? What is the theme of it? Does the film convey any messages that will make a difference in a "Americans" ordinary life and the way they live it? If so, what are they?

The film is about the one sided yet blissful blood bond relation between a father and an eleven year old who is abandoned by his father and lives in a foster home and is being told by the father that he would have to live there for only a short while. With hopes in heart that he would return to his father soon, the distracted boy is never able to relate to life without his father and his desired bicycle. He runs in search of the bike which he considers a special symbol of attachment to his father. To his small childish memory he runs tracing his father in all the places he can image. He visits the place where his father lived, but much to his disappointment, he finds out that his father has moved out.

.The very first scene of the movie tells us about the boy’s state of mind who is lacking the peace and it is evident through an encounter with the counselor of the foster home where the boy hopes to find out about his father. He often tries to flee the foster home in hope of going to his real home which was promised by his father to him. While in pursuit of his little dream, and peace, along with hope of finding the bicycle and his father again, his life and future days take a turn for the good when he comes across a generous hairdresser who would later on adopt him.

The Theme is based on the attempt of interpretation of the boy’s distracted mind which he suffers due to one of his parent’s unstable social standing. Being not able to bring him up, he falsely tells his young son that the stay at foster home would be a brief one; however, in real the things are gloomier for the ill fated boy.

The theme is a very apt one considering the modern day unstable social standings of number of parents in various societies across the world, and it equally applies to the American Society and parents as well. It lives up to the expectations and delivers the message in a very calculated manner and warns all those with such intentions that abandoning their kids is the last best option available for their kids. Early days of life are the days where the kid needs proper attention and their parents guard. Even the toys and other childhood kits do not mean as much to the kids as much as their own parents. This has been shown in a very skill full manner where the kid considers the bicycle as a symbol of his father’s love towards him.

The movie will definitely leave a spark in the minds and hearts of all those parents who are going through the thick of times and have even for once thought over similar lines of foster homes for their children. They would get to know what these actions could have in offer for the young ones if sent away from home.

What three or four sequences are most important in the film? Why?

There are number of scenes that would give the viewers goose bumps on any given day, and those moments were defining in the entire movie. Those movies were defining in a way that they set precedence for further scheme of action that was to be followed in the movie.

The first one was when the child Cyril is on the run from the authorities of the foster home and comes across the hairdresser lady (Samantha) and clings on to her with an inner hope of becoming inseparable since he did not want to return to the place he had fled. A lot can be deduced from this particular scene, one the feeling of being deprived of his own mother, secondly seeking freedom from the foster home, thirdly in search of peace in his life. This scene sets the tone for rest of the movie, because the lady later on manages to find the bicycle for the kid and takes it to the foster home, and from there on, the kid asks her if he can be with her over the weekends.

A turning event in the movie was when the young boy sees the banner reading selling of his the car and the bicycle by his father, which in a way is shattering of his dreams and the glass world contained inside his heart, since he was of the belief that his father could never imagine selling the bicycle and it must have been stolen.

Another important sequence of the movie was he comes across the bad guy in form of Wes, who is on the hunt for such physically smart and agile boys who can help him in his mischievous endeavors. Seeing his innocence and being without parents, the thug sees him as a bright prospect who would serve his purpose of mugging and other evil designs.

The series of events that took place after the boy purchased charcoal for the evening gathering, had little impact on the outcome of the story, yet weighed no lighter than any other strong part of the movie, was in form of the other child’s father (Le Libraire) who tells his son, that if the child is done, we would tell the world he fell off the tree without being attacked. These few lines barely had any impact on the plot of the movie, yet this speaks of the shallow nature of human beings in general and exposes the dark side in a larger perspective.

After falling from the tree, it was to be naturally believed that the boy would have breathed his last, but when he gets up and the way he runs towards Samantha’s home, was one of the climax scene of the movie, and would have left many viewers wondering about the insecurities our children face in our very own societies especially those who are abandoned or orphaned.

What does the film reveal about the personality and interests of the filmmaker?

The story of the movie speaks volumes for the maker of the movie himself. The movie has a lesson and message behind it, the film maker could have gone for any thriller and commercial subject and might well have attracted far more greater number of viewers, yet the filmmaker had the mind of a truly defined film maker who would make movies based on subjects and situations faced in societies. The theme and making of the film shows the real abilities the incumbent possesses. He has added the necessary flavor of various components to the script to make it appealing to different sections of viewers and has maintained freshness in the entire sequence of proceedings throughout which speaks of the film maker’s directional abilities. The film is basically made by two brothers who have a history of making such purposeful movies in bid to convey an alarming message to the society over the negligence and lack of responsibility taking by the parents themselves. There are number of scenes which show the vision and depth in the thinking power of the film maker and they have addressed the bitter face of human nature in a tending way.

The exhibition of frustration of the boy in certain scenes shows the ability of film maker to co relate a frustrated mind to the frustration in the outer form through expressions.

What insight does the film give into the foreign country's unique customs and traditions?

The movie and its makers have touched upon quite a sensitive line that could be traced and linked to the culture of particular background and society where the movie is made and the characters are shown to exist. The movie in a crystal clear manner discourages the choice of foster homes for children. It further warns the societies about the fragility of the nature of children how open they are to vulnerabilities in their ambiance. A few candies, few sweet words and the kid can be made to do any unlawful act.

The movie does show a positive side of the society where people are willing to adopt the young ones from foster homes. This can be seen in form of the hairdresser who agreed to have him for weekends at first and full time adoption later. The movie also shows a softer image of the segment of society where the unknown woman at first sight decides to arrange the bike for the kid. The kindness on behalf of the child’s father, who was attacked during the mugging, shows there is a good will gesture of forgiveness in the society where the story and characters are shown to exist.

In what ways were the techniques of film making (casting, direction, script, music, sets, action, cinematography, lightning editing, etc.) used to get the film's message(s) across, or to make the message plausible or compelling? In what ways were they ineffective or misused?

The movie has a rating of 7.4 on the IMDb website and large sections of the people who have commented on it have critically acclaimed it for its various components.

The lead cast revolves around two characters namely Cyril and Samantha, both of them have done justice to their role. While Samantha plays the most adorable and subtle character that inspires the kid to live with her, at the same time the boy’s character has been sketched in the most befitting manner that portrays his inner anguish and state of denial he is going through. The movie definitely has been made with a message in purpose and is pretty clear one that there a child seeks the shelter of an elder figure in his or her life.

Good cinematography plays its role in equal proportion and the skills have been used in an appropriate manner.

On directional front, since the crew constituted a team that has been together for a while now and has worked over number of projects together, the chemistry is well built amongst the members and there were barely any feeling of uneasiness on behalf of the directional crew. The lighting, backgrounds, and the cinematography is in complete alignment with the requirements of the script.

The use of rhythmical music at critical junctures in the movie is icing on the cake.

What would be highly characteristic of such a case is revolt, anguish, agony , bit of scratching and screaming, hard luck, disownment , disparity, followed by tenacity, and ultimately redemption and healing in form of full time adoption, is the sequential pattern of the directional achievement. The film is bound to interest the segment of society who are entrusted with more or less same situation. The movie is worth watching and more so for students of art and cinema it serves as an interesting item since it has the sufficient recipe to achieve applause from the cinema critiques as well.

Bibliography:

IMDB. The Kid with a Bike. 18 May 2011. 27 May 2012 <http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1827512/>.

Is Facebook the New Student Union?

2012-07-18T23:37:00.000+05:00

Students, more than any other internet user group, have been finding it most difficult to resist the tactics that have turned facebook and twitter into the most used websites in U.K with a greater addiction level than even alcohol and tobacco (naomip93).

“Most would argue that stopping students’ use of Facebook would be impossible.” (Heiberger and Junco)

The importance of facebook and other social networking sites in the daily lives of students has become a force to reckon with. Being aware of this it would be eccentric to underestimate their influences on all aspect of their lives.

In the light of the above can facebook be considered as the new Student Union?

Everything we may think of is there on facebook, to be liked shared and talked about. The variety of pages that you get to see now, range from representing high-end international organizations to neighborhood communities, from work to recreation, entertainment to religious ideals, celebrity pages to hate groups and the abundance of pages that comment on things we barely notice in routine life.

Studies have shown that students today spend, at the very least, more than an hour and forty minutes on facebook each day (Heiberger and Junco), not taking into account the increasing popularity of mobile facebook usage.

According to another research, most internet users claim that social networking influences their lives to a great extent (Raizada, Vinayak and Srivastav). Having virtually connected one end of the globe to the other, and giving all the people in it a larger platform for self expression, social media is responsible for a greater sensitivity and cross cultural influence among its users (Raizada, Vinayak and Srivastav).

But are the affects of this extended exposure to social media limited to a personal level or do these social interactions change the way we behave in public too?

Facebook being an extension of our social spheres exerts the same pressure as our real life peer groups do, but to a deeper extent. This results in a greater social conformity and compliance to similar ideals which in turn influence social behavior.

Conformity, the most common social influence, results from a subtle social pressure which is higher when opinions or actions are to be made public (Feldman). Since Facebook encourages its users to share their lives and thoughts with their extended social connections, it has a major role in enforcing social conformity.

This is seen for example, when a particular page is liked by a group of connected users, their friends are informed of this approval and this encourages an increase in its popularity.

Compliance, another type of social influence, also makes its way to facebook pages, when upon the joining of a cause or an event; it becomes sort of an obligation to invite others to it. This may serve well as an example of the foot-in-door technique for compliance stated by Robert S. Feldman (Essentails of Understanding Psychology 550).

Being in a virtual space, a lot of the hurdles that come in the way of making real life connections are not present in social networking sites, and this encourages a greater freedom of expression and, contradictory to some researches, discourages antisocial behavior (Jenness).

In a study regarding the behavior of undergraduate students and the usage of social media, it has been observed that the students that are more active on these sites are more involved in on-campus activities and are better at socializing (Jenness). Thus the use of facebook mobilizes the student body, encouraging community participation and the expression of opinions, the execution of which in the form of student communities or unions has efficient and better organized results.

Facebook, along with other social interactive sites, has both positive and negative impacts on the behavior of students towards their education and their communities. It is undeniable however that this influence is strong and that it could be and is being exploited for the conveyance of thoughts and ideals that could persuade organizations, communities and even governments.

Business Leadership Report: Autocratic Leadership Style

2012-07-18T23:35:00.002+05:00

Autocratic leadership or authoritarian leadership is a style of leadership in which one individual is in charge of all processes, is the fundamental and sole decision maker, and gains no consent of the group members while taking the decision. Autocratic leaders fundamentally rely upon their individualistic judgments and perceptions and are least likely to consult others for advice. This provides the autocratic leader with an absolute and authoritarian control over the entire group (leadershiptheories.org, 2012).

Autocratic leadership is generally suitable for large organizations with too large workforce. In such large organizations, communication flow is relatively difficult, and decision making is passive since there are too many managers operating at different levels. In such organizations, an autocratic leader is able to take independent decisions and enforce them for all to comply with. Gaining the consent of all concerned individuals not only delays the decision making but also makes the process of change management very complicated.

One of the demerits of the autocratic style of leadership is that it does not facilitate the development of trusting relationships. The autocratic leader has full hold over all of the subordinates. The organizational personnel cannot offer their personal opinions or suggestions to the leader irrespective of the usefulness of the advice. This creates a negative energy between the autocratic leader and the subordinates and may serve as a demotivating factor for the subordinates.

The autocratic style of leadership is particularly unsuitable for group projects, in which trust and communication play a pivotal role in the achievement of success. According to Kets de Vries, the autocratic style of leadership is not very useful for a knowledge society (knowledge.insead.edu, n.d.). This is one factor that makes the autocratic style of leadership unsuitable for adoption in the contemporary dynamic and multicultural workplace where teamwork is deemed very important for the attainment of organizational objectives. However, occasionally autocratic leadership becomes the solution of problems experienced by a group. This happens when the group members lose track and get into dysfunctional conflicts. In such cases, the autocratic leader gives the group a direction, so that they continue proceeding towards their goal despite their mutual differences, though in a vast majority of cases, autocratic leadership has adverse effects on the psychology of teamwork.

Challenges faced by managers and business entrepreneurs in the 21st century’s workplace include dealing with the issues of culturally diverse workforce, education and training of the workforce in the workplace, gaining competitive advantage over other competitors in the market by introducing creative and innovative solutions to the traditional problems, and expanding the business to other regions and maintaining conformity in all branches in terms of operation and functionality. In order to achieve all these objectives, it is imperative that the workplace be constantly evaluated for the obstacles, and change be introduced and managed to change things for the better. Traditionally, introduction of change becomes difficult in workplaces where the decision making power is shared with others. An autocratic leader is better able to find solutions to the problems of the contemporary workplace, though the success entirely depends upon the individualistic skills, talents, competencies, and capabilities of the autocratic leader.

References: knowledge.insead.edu. (n.d.). Putting leaders on the couch. Retrieved from

http://knowledge.insead.edu/Leaderoncouch.cfm?vid=12.

leadershiptheories.org. (2012). Leadership Theories: Autocratic, Democratic and Laissez Faire.

Retrieved from http://leadershiptheories.org/leadership-theories-autocratic-democratic-and-laissez-faire.

Social Disorganization

2012-07-18T23:33:00.002+05:00

Introduction

In this paper, the proponent tries to elaborately discuss the following questions. What is social disorganization? How does social disorganization relate to organized crime and its evolution? How well does social disorganization meet the criteria for organized crime and its various relationships? What is the correlation of corrupt political machines and social disorganization to the development of organized crime?

Social disorganization defined

In social organization, everybody has the ability to come up with shared values or beliefs. Thus, in the case of social disorganization, there is a tendency that an individual’s action associates with law-violating behavior that in one way or another complexly organized or unorganized (Lyman & Potter, 2007; Mallory, 2007). To cite an instance, the case of gang culture could remarkably deviate from the prevailing order within the society. Within the gang culture, it could be evident that in one way or another, there is a presence of leadership that is either organized or unorganized. There might be order within this culture, but from the point of view of the society, there is a deviation from the actual law enforced by the people. It is in this case that one could link the case of gang culture with social disorganization.

Social disorganization, organized crime and its evolution

At this point it is important to understand how does social disorganization relate to organized crime and its evolution. Again, one substantial case that could explicate this point is gang culture. Gangs have substantive culture that within it there is a great presence of shared values and beliefs. What makes this shared values and beliefs became a success is the point in which gangs have remarkably hired new set of members and flourish due to unsuccessful prosecution effort and even worst, becoming legitimate business (Lyman & Porter, 2007). All of these could remarkably start within street gangs. The evolution is so tough, but the bottom line paves the way for organizing street gangs into something vibrant readily associated with business that could also interconnect with corrupt officials, which eventually strengthens them further to become established crime groups.

Relationship between social disorganization and organized crime

As already stated, social disorganization could evolve and become established organized crime. Eventually social disorganization meets the criteria of organized crime because just like the latter, it is completely against the prevailing values and set standard by the society through the prevailing law emancipated for the protection of everybody’s freedom or right. Law-breaking behavior is generally present within the context of social disorganization and ultimately street gangs could evolve as groups that would have fundamental association with corrupt officials leading to their social, economic and political power. Due to these fundamental reasons, there is not doubt that social disorganization such as in the case of gang culture eventually meets the criteria for organized crime. In fact, its evolution substantially completes the achievement of these criteria.

Corrupt political machine and social disorganization

As already stated, a full-pledged or grown up group of street gangs eventually make it a point to consider undertaking maximum gain through establishing a business for the survival of the group and maximum benefits of each member. However, along the way, social disorganization such as in the case of street gangs and their evolution would try to make it a point to maximize the achievement of relevant gains for the benefits of their groups. In reality, they have close tie or connection with corrupt officials (Lyman & Porter, 2007). In other words, the more there will be corrupt officials, social disorganization continues to prevail and even continue to move in an upward spiral. It is due to the fact that the presence of these corrupt political machines creates the competitive advantage of social disorganization and even vice versa. For instance, the achievement of goals on the part of social disorganization lies on the kind of tie up they have. Having connection with political officials is an advantage as they might have enough and relevant control over public domain and resources. Therefore, when corrupt political machine and social disorganization would be in unity, substantial outcome would be evident especially in the achievement of both political and economic gains.

Conclusion

As discussed, social disorganization and organized crime may turn out having the same economic, social and political objectives. In reality, street gangs could eventually evolve to something to something big as organized crime as corrupt political machine enters into its growth. It would mean sustainability on the part of social disorganization, and a remarkable strength on corrupt political machine to help perpetuate its social, economic and political power. Therefore, understanding organized crime from the point of view of corrupt political machine and established social disorganization could substantially pave the way for understanding specific aspect about crime.

References Lyman, M. D., & Potter, G. W. (2007). Organized crime (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall.

Mallory, S. L. (2007). Understanding organized crime. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett.

Happiness in Marriage

2012-07-18T23:29:00.003+05:00

Introduction

A modern vision of marriage has essentially changed nowadays. There is no more a high social value of marriage and it is not an obligatory part of life of the contemporaries. This research paper determines the role of modern marriage. On the basis of three main explanatory variables, such as the general happiness of the individuals in the marriage, family satisfaction and family’s total income, a relation between the concepts of love, intimacy, property and happiness in marriage is defined. There are also nine variables, such as condition of health, the financial satisfaction of the couple, children in the family or a childfree family, a possible cheating of spouses, the level of education of the spouses, a level of self-satisfaction in the family, financial ability to have more children and the way it affects on the family, legal marital status of the couple are taken into account. Thus, whether it is possible to be happy in modern marriage is an interesting question…

Literature review

Laura Kipnis underlines that a modern marriage is based on societal bounds more than on feelings or emotions. Moreover, a modern marriage should be interpreted in wider terms, because it is available for people of different sexual orientation (Kipnis, 2006). The government has a right to take control over a family and married couples, because “basic repression is necessary for any civilization to survive (Kipnis, 2006). Therefore, the issues of social status and political relation between a family and the government cannot be underestimated.

Happiness in marriage, with respect to Kipnis, can be explained in the following way: “Marriage exerts influence on love in order to "maximize submission and minimize freedom" (Kipnis 2006, p. 53). Issues of property or financial satisfaction from marriage can be interpreted in a different manner, in comparison with how it was interpreted many years ago. Nowadays in Australia there is a chance to meet couples, which do not have money for their common mansion and they live alone (Csencsitz, 2008).

Thus, Susan Maushart is focused on the issues of property and marriage. A modern family, technology, politics and many other external factors play a very important role. The same fact is underlined by Marilyn Yalom in her book “The History of the Wife”, where she specifies a changing role of a woman in the society and in the family (Yalom and Carstensen, 2002). There is a great challenge before modern women: they want to be happy and to be loved in their families, but at the same time, they do not want to give up their careers. Therefore, in order to be happy, a modern woman should try on different roles: "the wife can learn a great deal from the mistress" (Shumway, Sterling, Kimball, Korinek, and Arredondo, 2007).

Generally speaking, there is a great imbalance between relations of modern men and women in the society and this tendency is evident in marriages: “couples will be equal within the relationship-always a difficult goal in a sexist society-and also that they maintain a delicate balance between autonomy and fusion” (Hawkins, Wardle, and Coolidge, 2007). Condition of health of spouses can be interpreted in the following way: in case an individual loves and works, he is a happy one. This hypothesis was suggested by the Great Fraud and it still work in the modern context (Spurlock 2005, p. 290).

A level of self-satisfaction in the family is rather difficult issue, because a great deal of a positive emotional charge of both spouses depends on intimacy. Intimate relations in modern marriages are often controversial and a personal feeling of satisfaction is often gone from the hearts of the spouses. Helen Fisher (2004) and Shumway et al underline that there is a direct relation between intimacy and marriage. A feeling of passion, physical attraction and many other components of intimate life are integrative elements of a happy life in marriage. Children in the family is another crucial issue, because some modern families do not want to have children and live alone for their own needs and interests, and some couples are longing for having children, but they do not have either physical or financial resources. At this point, intentions of both spouses concerning children should be correlated and only mutual deicision will bring in a felling of happiness in marriage.

Concerning legal status of modern marriages and the issues of legal protection of a family’s property, it can be said that modern laws protect “married woman’s property rights and earnings” (Yalom & Carstensen 2002, p. 23). In the modern context the issues of property, love and intimacy cannot be separated and these are three basic elements of a modern marriage, which is defined as “the institution through which people join together their lives in emotional and economic ways through forming a household. It often confers rights and obligations with respect to raising children, holding property, sexual behavior, kinship ties, tribal membership, relationship to society, inheritance, emotional intimacy and love” (Shumway, Sterling, Kimball, Korinek, and Arredondo, 2007).

Hypothesis: it is possible to suggest that the modern spouses are independent individuals, which want to be together. The concepts of love and intimacy play a crucial role in marriage, but the issues of property or any other financial concerns are challenging for the modern couples. Financial health of a family determines all potential activities and plans of its members, such as having children, mansion, living a stable life et cetera. Marriage concerns social, economical, emotional and psychological factors determining life of spouses. Happy relations in marriage depend on the ability of both spouses to make equal contribution in emotional and financial gains. The modern spouses have their rights and obligations, but in but a constant economical risk is present. Very often financial concerns destroy modern marriages and property arrangements are very popular nowadays. It does not mean that modern people are more pragmatic, than they used to be many years ago, it simply means that marriage in the modern context is a partnership and not oppression. To make common decisions, to have a joint property, to be more tangible in personal relations, guarantees equality, satisfaction and happiness in marriage, because it is a product of two spouses and both of them are responsible for making equal contributions in this risky affair.

Works cited Csencsitz, Cassandra. Who’s Afraid of Modern Marriage? American Theatre, 25 (October 2008): 14+.

Hawkins, Alan J., Lynn D. Wardle, and David Orgon Coolidge, eds. Revitalizing the Institution of Marriage for the Twenty-First Century: An Agenda for Strengthening Marriage. Westport, CT: Praeger, 2002. Questia. Web. 20 June, 2012.

Kipnis, Laura. "Something's Missing." Women's Studies Quarterly 34.3/4 (2006): 22+.Questia. Web. 20 June, 2012.

Maushart, Susan. The Winter of our Disconnect. (December 30, 2010). Web. 20 June, 2012.

Shumway, Sterling T., Thomas G. Kimball, Alan W. Korinek, and Rudy Arredondo. "A Family Systems-based Model of Organizational Intervention." Journal of Marital and Family Therapy 33.2 (2007): 134+. Questia. Web. 20 June, 2012.

Spurlock, John C. "Modern Love: Romance, Intimacy, and the Marriage Crisis."Journal of Social History 39.1 (2005): 287+. Web. 20 June, 2012.

Yalom, Marilyn, and Laura L. Carstensen, eds. Inside the American Couple: New Thinking/New Challenges. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2002.Questia. Web. 20 June, 2012.

Mixing Spanish and English to Excellent Effect in Junot Diaz’s Work, “Fiesta, 1980”.

2012-07-18T23:26:00.001+05:00

Coming of age narratives are as old as time – they usually relate the story of how a young person reaches a status that allows them some kind of worth or value in the community that they developed in, and essentially act as tales of acceptance, of communing with one’s culture. In modern times, however, things are not so simple, and many people around the world are coming to terms with coming of age in multicultural spaces that have vastly different expectations of the transition from childhood to adulthood. “Fiesta, 1980” is a work that grapples with this problem, and it does so in ingenious ways – through the use of mixed language. This short fiction tells the story of a boy, the son of immigrants, who grows up in New York City. He attempts to deal both with his family and with the expectations of the white society that surrounds him, not ever fully being able to make sense of either of them. One of his greatest struggles is the use of language – his family grew up speaking Spanish, but the expectations of him in American culture requires him to speak predominately English. The author uses this conflict to great power by the intermingling of Spanish and English words in the main character’s dialogue, revealing him for what he is: a mix of both places. Fiesta, 1980 written by Junot Diaz is a short story of a dysfunctional family told from the point of view of a teenage boy Yunior. Diaz ingeniously combines both English and Spanish languages into this narrative to capture the true voice of his main character, ultimately producing an exceptionally relatable tale.

One of the best examples of Diaz’s mixing of languages to show the state that his main character is in rests in the main character’s name: Junior (Diaz 73). This is the name the character goes by throughout the entire text. This name has meaning in several ways. Firstly, it is an English word – showing the importance of the adopted country in the development of Junior’s identity – his very existence is tied to English, rather than to a similar word in Spanish. This shows a necessity or a desire to adopt the dominant cultural traits of the area that his family moved to, in that they identified their son using terminology that would only exist in that context. So fundamentally, the name Junior represents the central conflict of the work, and the central element of the character of the main character: the difference between his origins and his destiny, and huge impact the dominant society has on his life and his development.

Beyond simply representing the Americanness that Junior must simultaneously embrace and separate himself from, the name Junior also functions as a reminder of his divided state. Junior is not, in fact, a name, it is two names: to people who speak are primarily English speakers he is Junior, and to his family and others that speak primarily Spanish he is Yunior (76). The author’s choice to use this name consistently, beyond simply representing it as an artifact of accent (which he pays little attention to otherwise) is genius. It tells the reader that Junior/Yunior does not simply have one identity that is represented or interpreted differently depending on his context, but that he actually has two identities – the Junior that must deal with the massive white, American word around him, and the Yunior that must relate to his family and his original culture. This is an entirely unique representation of the plight that he faces – it really drives home to the reader that he must contend with a split identity, not just two things pulling on him, and that the quest of his coming of age story is really about trying to unite these two halves of himself into some kind of united whole.

Growing up in a split culture, or even two different cultures, is far from unique. Countless people all around the world do so consistently. Their situation, however, is not very well understood. Diaz’s effort to bridge this gap of understanding in “Fiesta, 1980” is quite clever. He uses the mixing of Spanish and English to point to the split identity that anyone growing up in such a situation must develop. Beyond that, however, he uses different spellings of the main character’s name, Junior/Yunior, to emphasize this divide.

Works Cited
Díaz, Junot. “Fiesta, 1980” in Drown. New York: Riverhead, 1996. Print.

Strategic Importance of Forecasting and Keys to better Forecasting

2012-07-18T23:24:00.000+05:00

Forecasting is extremely important for any business from a strategy point of view because having inventory (whether physical or product) at the right time is essential for making profits. A business must buy right amount of raw materials to produce right amount of goods for consumers. If this is not the case then either the business will not be able to serve the customer due to shortage or will have to hold extra products and incur storage costs.

Many companies do not understand the strategic importance of forecasting. Having the right resources available at the right time is essential for efficient functioning. In today’s tough business environment where businesses are trying to save costs it is needed that every penny is saved. Forecasting is one way to save costs as from forecasting only companies can guess the future demand and can manage their resource accordingly. Any mismanagement in forecasting can lead to great loss in both small and large businesses.

All large companies use forecasting when formulating their strategy because without it no decisions can be made. It is true that no one can predict the future accurately but forecasting can give a general idea about future on which present decisions can be made. Forecasting is therefore an important strategic tool for all businesses.

In the article ‘7 keys to better forecasting’ the authors have stressed the importance of forecasting and have given 7 suggestions to make better forecasting decisions (Moon, et al. 45). The article also argues that better forecasting can increase the financial health of a firm significantly (44).

The first key to better forecasting is to understand what is forecasting. The article suggests that forecasting should not be viewed as a computer program but as a management process. The second key to better forecasting is to forecast demand and then plan supply. Many firms restrict their supply forecasts to their capacity. This is not a good practice according to the article as first firms should forecast demand of the product and then plan supply.

The third key is to communicate, cooperate, and collaborate because forecasting involves input from all levels of organization. The fourth key is to not waste time on redundant activities. There are some activities that are performed by many departments and this should not happen because valuable time and effort is wasted on these activities and they do not add value to the firm.

The fifth key to better forecasting is to use tools of forecasting wisely (Moon, et al. 45). Some companies rely on qualitative tools too much and ignore quantitative tools of forecasting. A balance should be maintained between the two tools in order to predict future demand better. The sixth key is to make forecasting important by making people who are involved responsible for their decisions. The seventh and the last key to better forecasting as discussed by the article is to measure performance, feedbacks, and standards (Moon, et al. 45). All these suggestions can improve the forecasting in a firm.

Works Cited Page
Moon, M. A., Mentzer, J. T., Smith, C. D., & Garver, M. S. Seven keys to better forecasting. Business Horizons, 44–52, (1998)

Grouping in School

2012-07-18T23:21:00.003+05:00

The term tracking or ability grouping is a technique used by certain schools to classify and group the students depending upon their levels of achievement or perceived ability. In order to provide the students of a certain IQ level with suitable instruction and curriculum, the students are placed in low, middle, or high tracks. This practice was started during the 1930s. Over the decades, it has gained a lot of controversy (Hyland). The tracking or ability grouping in schools allows the teachers adequate distribution of time and attention across tracks but is not a very good technique as it relies upon dubious levels of achievement for the classification of students, deprives the week students of the help of strong students, and promotes inequality among the students.

The pros of tracking or ability grouping include uniformity of capability in all students in a certain class. The teacher can expect the performance of students on the basis of the track in which they have been placed. This makes everything more predictable for the teacher so that he/she can make realistic and practicable schedules. The teacher prepares the lecture as per the individualistic needs of the students in a certain track. Usually, the students in high track take lesser time to understand as compared to those in the low track. This makes it possible for the school administration to spare right amount of time for the right track of students. In such a system, the students particularly those who are in the low track are advantaged in that they get more attention from the teacher than what they would otherwise get.

The cons of tracking or ability grouping include classification of students according to their level of achievement which may not always give a fair estimate of a student’s ability. There are certain students who are quite capable but are not able to achieve very good grades because of certain factors like parental divorce, or bullying in the school. The tracking or ability grouping system is oblivious of such influencing factors. In addition to this, weak students in the tracking or ability grouping system are not able to seek help of stronger and more achieving students because the two are in different tracks following different curriculums.

The tracking or ability grouping promotes inequality. Students that are placed in the low track tend to think low of themselves. They tend to believe that they are losers, and cannot achieve much even if they try. On the other hand, students placed in the high track are at risk of becoming over-confident, which in turn, may ruin their performance.

Concluding, tracking or ability grouping method of teaching is controversial. This method of teaching is more favorable for the teachers as compared to the students in that the teachers can make fair estimate of time and effort required by the students of a certain track. However, this method of teaching increases students’ risk of becoming under-confident or over-confident depending upon the tracks in which they have been placed.

Works Cited

Hyland, Meghann. “Ability Grouping in Schools: Helpful or Harmful.” 1997. Web. 22

June 2012. <http://www.wright-house.com/ac/papers97/Hyland-ac1.html>.

The Four Creations

2012-07-18T23:20:00.001+05:00

The four creation story originated from the Hopi people who lived in Northern Arizona. The name of this community connotes that they are people who strive to live in peace and harmony. In their creation story, the community talks about a supreme being who created the world and her constituents for times and destroyed the world for the same number of times until he was satisfied that the last world was perfect (Fredrick and Naomi 57). Taiowa is the creator who existed in the void universe, which existed before the creation begun. The rest of the creations and creatures were only in the mind of Taiowa. Taiowa created an agent who he named Sotuknang, and he gave him the power and the mandate to create the planets.

Further, he collected the entire waters and placed them in seas and lakes, separating it from the dry land; he also created breezes and winds from air. Sotuknang created life n the world by giving life to a woman he named Spider Woman, and he delegated the duty of creating life to her of bringing life into the new world (Fredrick and Naomi 57). Her first assignment included creating a couple of beings; she created them from a paste of her own saliva and earth. The first being was called poqanghoya and the second one palongawhoya. The two beings were sent to the opposite poles of the universe to control the rotation of the earth. Later Spider Woman created two pairs of men and two other pairs of women from herself; she instructed them to reproduce and fill the earth. Spider Woman created animals and plants in line with the beings (Fredrick and Naomi 59).

The two pairs of couples multiplied rapidly, and the world was full of people. However, they defiled the direct order of obeying the creator, except a small group of people that remained faithful to the creator. Therefore, Taiowa destroyed the World and he only spared the small group, which got another chance. For four consecutive times, the people disobeyed God; each time they were destroyed until the creation of the fourth universe. People were allowed to live in the fourth creation, but the life in that creation was not easy.

The Hebrew story of creation differs from the four creations story slightly; however, there are a number of similarities. The two stories are similar to the extent that a super natural being is responsible for the entire creation and men disobeyed the supernatural being (Fredrick and Naomi 65). These transgressions made human beings suffer, but God would liberate them from their anguish. However, the two stories differ in several points of belief. In Hebrew story of creation, God did not delegate the creation duty to another being, but he did it with the word of mouth. He would only mention what he wanted, and the creation would proceed from the command of his words.

Further, he created the world within a period of one week, and man was the only being created from molding. There are no accounts of God destroying the whole world and recreating it again in the Hebrew story. However, in both cases, the creator was annoyed by the human transgression, and this explains the current situation of human suffering. The creation stories attempt to explain the origin of the universe, and the effect of the forces of supernatural powers and the position that each community occupies in the creation of the universe. These stories strengthen the religious faiths of believers and act as social controls of human behavior.

Works Cited

Fredrick, Oswald and Naomi, Oswald. The creation stories from around the world. New York: Cengage Learning, 1950. Print.